From the Field Training Future Organic Leaders in South Africa

Looking at previous courses you had, how was the ToToT different?
Busisiwe: This was more advanced. It went beyond basic farming activities and principles and instead put emphasis on how I can become a trainer. We started the program from scratch which was a brilliant idea because it gave me the opportunity to learn about other topics I didn’t know very much, for example, True Cost Accounting. We got to do farm visits where we saw the actual efforts and challenges farmers face and not just looking at the theoretical challenges. This is where empathy prevailed; being able to put ourselves in the shoes of the farmers producing our food.

It was also great to see the videos showing the experiences of farmers from other countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe and India. It was reassuring to know and feel that we are not alone on this journey of organic farming.

Manvester: It was rich in information and well organized. This was not my first training; however, it was my first interaction with IFOAM – Organics International and I must say, there was a high level of participation in contrast with the others. This was unique because it gave us the opportunity as trainees to contribute to spreading the word of organic. I attended physically so I was fortunate to have very interactive sessions with others.

How has the training impacted you?
Busisiwe: It put a focus on the importance of organic farmers who grow our food and the need for consumers to know who grows their food, including the inputs added. I was impressed by the power of networking, the facilitation techniques used, for instance, the fish bowl that I had no prior experience with, and the availability of information on three different websites; Organic Africa, Access Agriculture and Infonet.

Manvester: Organic farming is a job that requires the engagement of others and does not rely on only an individual. To mitigate the impact of food insecurity, we need to work in harmony to make this a reality.