Pre-departure training started in Egypt and Ethiopia

After the finalisation of the selection process in all three countries in the month of February, it was finally time to start the pre-departure training programme. On Saturday 2nd of March, the Egyptian group was the first one to kick-off, as the students from Kafrelsheik University had their first day of intensive training under the guidance of Dr. Mohamed Sharaf-Eldin, Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture. On Monday 11th, it was time for the Ethiopian group to start at Hawassa University, guided by Dr. Zerihun Demrew, Associate Professor at the College of Agriculture. The Tunisian group is expected to meet for the first training days at the Institut supèrieur agronomique de Chott Mariem (ISACM) on April 5th and 6th. 

As first module of the pre-departure training program, students will go through the most relevant concepts and best practices related to horticulture production management in modern horticulture companies, with special attention to best practices for climate-smart agriculture. Training will be a mix of theoretical classes, to be delivered on campus at local academic partners, and of practical assignments, to be undertaken by students on the field, at local horticulture companies from the region nearby. 

After the first module on horticulture production management, students will go through a second module on post-harvest management and a third module on sales and marketing management and entrepreneurship.  In total, the program includes about 24 days of full-time training, to be distributed along three months according to the different national plannings. 

The purpose of the pre-departure program is to prepare students and equip them with a mix of technical and soft skills which will enable them to make the best out of their practical training experience in the Netherlands.