FBO board members conclude training in Port Loko, Sierra Leone
In a bid to enhance effective operations and maximize productivity in the agriculture sector, board members of the appropriately 50 farmer-based organizations in the northern district of Port Loko have concluded an intensive training workshop.
The three-day session was organized by CARITAS-Makeni, with funds from FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Participants were taught basic financial management, record keeping, business planning, group dynamics, the types and responsibilities of a leader, etc.
Two lecturers from the Makeni Polytechnic and UNIMAK, John Koroma and Augustine Kamara served as Resource Persons for the three-day training while Mr. Michael Thomas, Program Support Office for CARITAS Makeni served as lead facilitator.
He said there are about 50 farmer-based organizations in various parts of the district including the Masimera Farmers Association in the Masimera Chiefdom, the Right to Life Farmers Association in the Maforkie Chiefdom and Tamaraneh Farmers Association in the Kaffu Bullom Chiefdom.
He said the main objective of the training was to capacitate Board members in order to see agriculture as a business enterprise and to well develop methods through which they can sustain activities of their organizations.
According to the Director of CARITAS Makeni, Bro. Joe Turay, his organization was contracted by FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture to build the capacity of Board members of both Farmers Based Organizations (FBOs) and Agricultural Business Units (ABUs).
Bro. Joe Turay said this capacity building contract started in 2011 after the authorities had realized that members of these two sectors do not have the requisite knowledge to operate properly for the achievement of set goals.
He said CARITAS Makeni has since trained over 300 people and that some organizations have become so much sensitized that there has been some changes in the leadership of those organizations whose chairpersons used to under-perform.
By Hassan Bruz
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