On March 7 and 8 2023, the Bright Future in Agriculture (BFA) project held its closing conference at Harmony Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event was attended by partners and stakeholders representing the private, academic, and public sectors.
The conference opened with a speech from Dr. Huub Mudde (BFA Project Director), who extended a warm welcome to attendees and introduced the first two speakers: HE Mr. Nigusu Tilahun (Minister of State, Ministry of Labor and Skills) and HE Mr. Henk Jan Bakker (Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands). The full program included plenary presentations, panel discussions, and group workshops on various topics.
Following the conference, there was still time to hold the final training sessions on location at Alage & Wolaita Sodo ATVET College. These sessions focused on the implementation of the practical lessons and skills sheets developed by the schools in their daily lessons. As CowSignals® trainers, we also accompanied teachers on a visit to the school farms, noting the adjustments that have already been made in the stables and determining what can still be modified. At Alage ATVET College, we were particularly impressed with the rearing of the calves. During the day, they roam in the meadow with unlimited food and water, and this routine is certainly having a positive impact on their health! At Wolaita Sodo ATVET College, sandboxes have been made for several cows following the training. These cows also have access to unlimited water and food, with the effect on health, milk yield, and other parameters being closely monitored. Having observed the college’s practices, we shared our advice on how to achieve even better results in the future.
About BFA
Bright Future in Agriculture (BFA) is a three-year project (2019–2021) that supports the agricultural technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector in Ethiopia. The project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and managed by Nuffic as part of the Orange Knowledge Programme. There are 12 beneficiary institutions in Ethiopia, of which the Federal TVET Institute and Arba Minch University are the lead partners. The Maastricht School of Management from the Netherlands is the lead implementer, and provides training sessions together with a consortium of eight member institutions from the Netherlands, Ethiopia, and South Africa.
For more information, please contact Lisanne Oskam.
