Extension capacity for Colombia
Despite the whirlwind of year we’ve all had so far, our international projects have been able to continue and show remarkable resilience. Juan, project co-ordinator of the Colombia Dairy Value Chain project takes a moment to reflect on how Covid-19 has affected the project and how our team in Colombia manages to keep the ball rolling.
Before the lockdown in Colombia due to Covid-19, the AgriBusiness Group started the project ´Building Capacity in Agricultural Extension for Colombia – CAEC´ as a third phase of the Colombian Dairy Value Chain Project. We had developed a sound work plan in conjunction with all the stakeholders. The members of the governance group were pleased and happy with the proposal. At the time, we had a plan in place of how the implementation was going to play out. But, as everyone knows, fate had a different pathway for us all.
With the lockdown in Colombia, which has been one of the longest in the world (we are still eager to find out if the strategy in the long run was successful), we started working virtually with our counterpart in SENA (National Learning Service - Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje), the equivalent to Primary ITO in New Zealand.
During this time, we had to adjust and adapt to the new reality. We had to learn to be in touch and communicate effectively with the implementation team of the project in the solitude of an office at home while still advancing to achieve our goals.
In the process, we reorganised the work plan, got in touch with new stakeholders like FAO, learnt to use new communication platforms like Zoom, Teams, Meets, etc. In other words, we had to show resilience with the situation and to show with actions and not just in words the main capability of an extension officer, to facilitate and promote an effective process of change to achieve common goals.
We have participated in the creation of the occupational profile of an extensionist in Colombia by validating the role in the Unique Classification of Occupations for Colombia (Clasificación Única de Ocupaciones para Colombia – CUOC 2020). This new profile was included in the catalogue for next year at the beginning of October. We also advanced in building a curriculum in extension to train the professionals that will assume the responsibility of implementing the National Innovation System – SNIA Law 1876/2017 which is founded on the extension support system. The Ministry of Agriculture has the goal to train 30,000 professionals in the country to promote rural development and we have had the chance to share the New Zealand approach to do so. Consequently, finishing the curriculum in extension will be a priority.
It is important to mention that the New Zealand Embassy in Bogotá has been supporting the implementation of the project and maintaining strong relationships with governmental institutions such as The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – MADR and its agencies, for example the Agency of Rural Development.
Written by Juan Vela Jimenez,
Project Co-ordinator
Find out more about the Colombia Dairy Value Chain Project
