Izmir, Turkey- A training-of-trainers programme was launched today for 13 selected facilitators coming from Turkey’s four provinces. The programm is part of the Farmer Field Schools component of an FAO project, funded by the European Union (EU), aimed at increasing the resilience of Syrian refugees and Turkish host communities through, among others, Farmer Field Schools, vocational training, cash for work programmes, and the establishment of employment desks. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services.

Activities related to Farmer Field Schools include the organization of two consecutive training-of-trainers sessions and the establishment of 31 Farmer Field Schools in 10 different provinces. The first round of training sessions was held in Mersin, followed by the second one in Izmir. Master trainers from Ankara University and FAO experts lead the trainings to equip the selected facilitators with necessary knowledge, including gender issues,  Farmer Field Schools curricula, sustainable agriculture, Climate-smart agriculture, and Good Agricultural Practices.

The trainees will be responsible for managing the schools in the field.

The training-of-trainers session was opened by Ayşegül Selışık, FAO Assistant Representative in Turkey.AsSelışık said, the project will provide opportunities for both, the Syrians under temporary protection and the most vulnerable members of the host communities. “This EU-funded project is an important sign of international solidarity in the struggle against COVID-19,” she added.

During the training sessions, necessary protection measures have been considered to protect the health and safety of the participants.

The first round of the training-of-trainers was organized under the project “Building Resilience of Syrians under Temporary Protection and Host Communities in Turkey through Supporting Socio-economic Integration and Creating Livelihood Opportunities.” The 31 Farmer Field Schools have been established in the provinces of Adana, Hatay, Sanliurfa, Kilis, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Bursa, Manisa, Izmir, and Van.