Facilitation of Short-Term Training for Wheat Research. GRAIN implemented 41 training activities this quarter, totalling 293 training recipients this period (versus a target of 160). More information about this can be found under Activity 1.3 Summary of Performance Indicator Progress to Date. Research Farm Management Training Program: Designed in collaboration with ARIA at both central and regional levels, a feature of GRAIN’s short-term training activities this year is the Research Farm Management Training Program, a series of seven sessions aiming to build capacity among Farm Managers at all ARIA research stations. GRAIN continued training for the first cohort, consisting of 17 Farm Managers from 17 research stations in 16 provinces where ARIA operates research stations, as well as two Farm Managers from partner universities. The second of seven sessions was held at ARIA’s Research Farm in Kabul [Exact location address is redacted] on 2-3 April, with classroom and field-based demonstrations involving data collection and improving accuracy when calculating chemical fertilizer rates. Consistency in data collection and application of assigned treatments are essential in improving overall quality and reliability of research conducted by GRAIN partners, thus improving credibility of recommendations for farmers. The third training on Soil Management and Dry Land Farming took place on 29-31 May, in Balkh province. Twenty-seven participants (three women) from 16 provinces, comprising ARIA Farm Managers, ARIA researchers, Balkh University professors, and GRAIN interns, attended a combination of theoretical and practical field and laboratory exercises that included visits to ARIA’s Dedhadi Research Farm and the Yasmin Laboratory. The trainees met again in Kabul for the fourth training on Agricultural Machinery on 24-25 June, which focused on management and maintenance of tractors and other farming equipment. These trainings create uniformity of practice across all ARIA research stations, enabling Farm Managers to pass on learnings in their provinces, and adding to overall operational sustainability. Data Analysis Training Series: In association with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), GRAIN launched the first researcher-level implementation of this year’s Data Analysis and Statistics Training program. Training for the first cohort was held in both Kabul on 6-10 April (for 16 participants) and in Balkh on 20-24 April (for seven participants). During this first session, facilitated by co-trai...
Facilitation of Short-Term Training for Wheat Research. Final session of the Research Farm Management Training in Kabul Research Farm Management Program The sixth and final session of the Research Farm Management Training Program was held on 22-23 October in Kabul, with 13 participants (one woman) from 12 provinces. This training, titled ‘Innovation Technology in Agriculture and Common Experimental Designs,’ was designed to enhance the capacity of Farm Managers from ARIA research stations across the country, with a focus on application of modern technologies in agriculture and using common experimental design to improve research planning and implementation. Training included instructions on: the role of proximal sensing, precision agriculture using Global Positioning Systems (GPS), introduction to laser land leveling, and review of several common experimental designs used in agriculture such as Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD),
