Training owner/managers of small and medium agri-food enterprises (SMAEs) in Tanzania

Martin Hilmi

This article looks at the training methods and the training materials used to increase the business management and technical processing competencies of owner/managers in small and medium agri-food enterprises in Tanzania. Adapting training methods and materials requires an in-depth understanding of owner/manager training needs and how these can be appraised and diagnosed. Common training needs assessment (TNA) methods were adapted to three workshops that did not overtly address a TNA, but were organized to covertly address a TNA. The results of this method provided for considerable and in-depth insights into adapting training methods and materials to suit the social and cultural context. The focus was on enabling and empowering owner/managers to be co-trainers, building on their knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviours of doing business. This implied that the training had to be practical, interactive, tactile, experiential, highly verbal in terms of communications (the communications being socially and culturally sensitive), and use pictographic images that were socially and culturally sensitive. The results of this training programme showed that owner/managers increased their competencies in terms of business management and processing techniques, but also provided for increased distributional networks and increased sales and revenue. The basic tenet is: prepare and implement training programmes with owner/managers and not for owner/managers.