The first capacity-building training for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development staff was held on April 12^th– 15^th, 2021 at ARMTI, Abuja.  The training organised by Sahel Consulting was attended by 48 participants selected from 21 FMARD departments, five of which were from the state offices: Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Cross River, and Bauchi.

The objectives for the training were for the participants to:

• • Develop critical and relevant writing skills and embrace tailored templates for effective and efficient communications within FMARD and with external stakeholders.
  • Develop critical skills for developing and managing budgets within FMARD and with all external stakeholders including development partners.
  • Develop and embrace the application of the tools and methods for monitoring project activities and reporting on project impact.
  • Develop critical policy writing and monitoring skills.

Dr. Earnest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development emphasized the need for participants to conduct step-down trainings in their respective departments to foster a knowledge-sharing culture within the Ministry.

Sessions were facilitated by industry experts on the Art of Effective Communication, Developing Proposals and Managing Project Impact, Analyzing the Impact of Agricultural Policies and Tools for Developing a Comprehensive Budget.

During the breakout sessions, participants discussed challenges they face and ways forward regarding communication, budgeting, policy formulation, and project implementation within FMARD and at the end of the training, they developed and prioritized key action points to foster effective communication in their daily roles.