Training material
In 2011, HORIZONT3000 and Trias developed a hands-on manual for ERI facilitators to help spread the ERI approach within their networks and beyond. The Ugandan company Mango Tree worked closely with the NGO team to design the manual and visual training materials to facilitate farmers’ understanding. This resulted in a concise but simple facilitator’s manual consisting of 25 re-printable booklets and 17 visual tools (see photo) covering the core ERI modules. The facilitator’s manual (currently only in English) can be downloaded from the website and the visual tools can be purchased from Mango Tree Uganda.
HORIZONT3000, Trias Uganda and ZOA are developing another manual as a resource for farmer facilitators to mentor their own groups in applying the ERI approach. It includes more portable formats of the visual ERI tools and will be translated into Kiswahili and local Ugandan languages such as Luganda and Lugbra.
A team of ERI trainers in East Africa can be contacted via the ERI website. All have long-term experience in implementing ERI with farmer groups. Some started working with the approach back in 2002 with CIAT and all have good understanding of the ERI concept and principles and good facilitation and training skills.
Further reading
Delve, R.J. and Roothaert, R.L. 2004. How can smallholder farmer–market linkages increase adoption of improved technology options and natural resource management strategies? Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences 9:334–341.
Kaaria, S., Njuki, J., Abenakyo, A., Delve, R. and Sanginga, P. 2008. Assessment of the Enabling Rural Innovation (ERI) approach: case studies from Malawi and Uganda. Natural Resources Forum 32: 53–63. doi: 10.1111/j.1477-8947.2008.00174.x
Kaaria, S., Sanginga, P., Njuki, J., Delve, R., Chitsike, C. and Best, R. 2008. Enabling Rural Innovation in Africa: an approach for empowering smallholder farmers to access market opportunities for improved livelihoods. Available at: www.future-agricultures.org.
Hauser, M., Aigelsperger, L., Owamani, A. and Delve, R.J. 2010. Learning achievements of farmers during the transition to market-oriented organic agriculture in rural Uganda. Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics 111(1): 1–11.