The focus of the training will be on unlocking the potential of agricultural value chains to ensure food security and food safety during the COVID-19 crisis that is putting the whole continent at risk of famine. Based on proven training programs by African Milling School and eProd Solutions, the program is designed to support via online training to ensure students can be supported and capacity building continues during the pandemic. The high-quality program is free of charge and targeting junior and senior millers, and grain traders (owners, junior and senior managers).
A generic training program will be deployed on the following modules:
African Milling School
Topics offered
- Grain Science - understanding grain varieties and their components
- Food Safety - safe and efficient technologies
- Quality Control - basic analysis for grain and flour
- Grain Handling and Storage - the drying, handling, and storage of grains. From processes to solutions. How drying and pre-cleaning helps with mycotoxins.
- Milling Technology - Process basics from grain (e.g. wheat and maize) intake, cleaning, and milling
- Food Fortification and Flour Improvers - the challenges in flour milling, fortification solutions, monitoring & analytics, impact of fortification and flour correctors & improvers
- Roll Fluting Technology - Process of roll fluting and frosting for milling.
- Feed Milling - gives an insight into the nutrition of productive livestock and covers the technology in grinding, mixing, and pelleting.
Eprod Solutions
Topics offered
- Contract Farming (CF) - a powerful tool for linking farmers to buyers.
- Step 1: Decision to develop a contract farming scheme - identify CF opportunities and risks, costs, and benefits.
- Step 2: Development of a CF capacity development plan - identifying non-financial and financial service needs.
- Step 3: Development of a CF business plan - outlining solutions for the scheme's setup and operation.
- Step 4: Negotiations and farmers’ acceptance of CF contract - initiating working relationships and how to build trust.
- Step 5: Startup CF field operations - developing an efficient system for supplier network management
- Step 6: Monitoring, feedback & learning - including latest techniques
- Steps 7 & 8: Continuous improvement for sustainability and Generic growth through up-scaling - strengthening the CF for reaching break-even and innovating the CF business model to include more farmers
A free trial version of the eProd software will be made available. The full training cycle will take fifteen (15) weeks and each topic will be offered during this period during two (2) hour webinars. Each module will be offered with additional online learning tools and exams.
During each training cycle, companies will be selected for participation in a Free of Charge mentorship program by African Milling School and eProd Solutions. In close collaboration with the mentor the company will develop supply chain strategy to solve the short- to medium-term needs of the participant’s company resulting in a tailored COVID-19 business sourcing strategy.