Within the framework of the AREA Africa Programme, CIHEAM Bari continues to invest in capacity building as a strategic driver for more resilient, sustainable and innovation-oriented agri-food systems.
A new Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative brings together professionals from Ghana, the Republic of Congo and Senegal for an intensive learning experience focused on integrated management of vegetable and fruit crops.
The programme reflects a broader vision that goes beyond technical transfer: building national networks of qualified trainers capable of multiplying knowledge, supporting local institutions and accompanying farmers towards more sustainable agricultural practices.
Participants — including extension officers, technical trainers, ministry representatives and rural development professionals — engage in a dynamic path combining advanced theoretical sessions, field practice and study visits across Apulia and Basilicata. From onion cultivation fields in Acquaviva delle Fonti to open-field and greenhouse vegetable production systems in Monopoli, including visits to Azienda Lisi and Ortofrutticola Egnathia, the initiative offers direct exposure to innovative cultivation techniques and integrated phytosanitary management strategies.
The programme also includes visits to citrus and mango orchards and to the Agrobios Research Centre in Metaponto, where participants explore applied research activities and sustainable crop protection approaches, as well as a field experience at Riso Magisa in Villapiana focused on rice cultivation systems.
These activities create valuable opportunities for dialogue between African and Italian expertise, encouraging participants to analyse practices, exchange experiences and reflect on how these approaches can be adapted within their own national contexts.
At the core of the initiative lies a multiplier approach: strengthening not only technical competencies, but also pedagogical and coordination capacities. The long-term objective is to establish operational local training systems, certified national teams of trainers and structured mentoring pathways capable of generating impact far beyond the duration of the programme.
By connecting knowledge, institutions and field experience, AREA Africa continues to promote collaborative networks and sustainable solutions for the future of agriculture across partner countries.
These activities are implemented by CIHEAM Bari through the AREA Africa Programme, which forms part of the Italian international cooperation initiative developed within a balanced public–private partnership framework under the Mattei Plan for Africa. The programme falls within the Action for the Strengthening of Agro-Food Ecosystems in Africa (AREA), co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) with CIHEAM Bari serving as the knowledge partner and implementing body for the public component, and BFI acting as the private partner.
Cultivating knowledge. Harvesting change.
