Sahel Consulting, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is providing critical technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in Nigeria to ensure the implementation of the Agricultural Development Strategy of the Government.

The project specifically provides:

• Support to key technical staff within FMARD.
• Funding for targeted local, regional, and international training programs to build the technical skill of FMARD staff and ensure effective knowledge transfer across the Ministry.

Our Approach

• Project Governance Structure: To garner ownership and stewardship within FMARD, we engaged an active steering committee chaired by the permanent secretary. The committee continuously provides leadership and direction for activities within the ministry and ensures alignment between the project objectives and the ministry’s mandate.
• Capacity Needs Assessment: In line with one of Sahel consulting’s core values of being data-driven, a participatory approach was adopted at project onset to conduct a comprehensive in-depth needs assessment exercise with over 1000 FMARD staff. The survey provided insight into the individual and institutional capacity development gaps in the ministry and continues to inform the design of relevant training programs for staff.
  Bespoke Training Programs: The project delivers relevant and impactful training sessions via a mix of instructional methods and the use of up-to-date training resources by leveraging industry experts from the private and public sectors. This approach ensures that capacity-building sessions reflect industry trends, technological advancements, and the changing socio-cultural environment.
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning: Leveraging ICT and media platforms we continue to track trained participants’ progress within the ministry, share relevant information with them, and receive feedback that helps participants to utilize the knowledge and skills gained in their day-to-day activities.
• Knowledge Management: The project adopts a cascading training model that encourages every trained participant to conduct step-down training for their colleagues within weeks of training conclusion. In addition, the project supported the development of an e-learning portal on the FMARD website where all staff can access relevant self-paced training courses.