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Use this Trainer's Guide as you need it. It includes helpful hints to prepare for training in general and for this training program specifically. We have described in detail some of the things that we have found useful and that have been successful during previous training’s. Modify them to suit the specific needs of your program and participants.
Here are a few things you might want to do before training begins:
· Be sure that you (or someone) does a pre-training needs assessment so that the training suits the country. Include a visit to a "typical" rural village before training, if you are not familiar with local conditions.
· When planning a training program, balance technical and extension sessions (see Handout 1B).
· Familiarize yourself with the adult learning loop (see Session 8) as the methodologies used in this manual are based on participative adult learning theory.
It is a great help in the delivery of this training program to distribute, in the first session of the first day, a "Participant's Notebook", to everyone who will be taking part in the training. The notebook, itself, should be of the three-ring binder type, and should include the following, in order:
1. A Cover Page, listing the title of the program, the contract by which it is offered, the location and dates of the program and the name(s) of the trainers and/or contractor.
2. Table of Contents, listing all of the contents of the notebook, in order.
3. List of Handouts, listing all of the handouts enclosed, their handout number and title, in order.
4. Biography of the Trainer(s) mentioning name, job title, place of work, experience, travels or other interests and a background of the training program or reason why the training is being offered at this time.
5. The Handouts, include all of the handouts necessary for a successful training program.
6. Loose leaf paper or a notebook, on which to take notes or make drawings.
7. Textbooks, that are made available to the participants.
8. Pen and/or pencil.
The two-week schedule (included in the Handouts Section as Handout 1A) has gone through many changes and keeps getting better. You will, no doubt, want to or need to change it for your program. (If you need to give a one-week program, see the next section, "Proposed One-Week Schedule"). If you do change it, use Handout 1D, "Blank Two-Week Schedule"; replace the old Handout 1A with the new schedule and change the Handout numbers to match the new schedule.
A two-week program is strongly recommended over a one-week program. The two-week program is designed to:
1. flow smoothly, from beginning to end, with sessions building on the information gained in previous sessions and leading up to future sessions.
2. repeat the loading and unloading of solar dryers many times during the program, so that the participants will have the maximum opportunity to experiment with different devices, methods and procedures in a non-threatening atmosphere.
3. have indoor, classroom sessions in the morning and active, outdoor sessions every afternoon. This has evolved over years of workshops and has proven very successful.
4. combine technical and extension training, within the program and within sessions themselves. The technical training is focused in the first week, with extension being the focus of the second week. This follows from what the participants generally want: background, technical information first and then the ways and means to extend that information to others, using effective extension practice sessions.
5. let model design and construction proceed the actual design and construction, allowing participants to practice their small group skills, designing and building under time pressure and testing a model they think might work back home.
6. have practice sessions (19 and 21) naturally follow introductory sessions (18 and 20), allowing participants to experience a new technique and immediately apply this new information.
7. provide flexibility, scheduled into a seemingly structured program. Sessions 22, 23 and 24 might be continuations of Sessions 19 or 21, either at the training site or in a nearby village. Sessions 24 and 26 could be used to finish behind-schedule dryer or store, although this might want to be discouraged. The optional sessions can be scheduled in where and when deemed necessary by the participants and trainers. The Participant's Notebooks should already contain the Optional Session's Handouts.
8. end Friday at 6PM, although extra sessions could be scheduled for Saturday morning. The schedule allows people to travel back to their homes on Saturday instead of Sunday, which is often appreciated.
Proposed training program
schedule
The one-week schedule which follows is the schedule that was used in Senegal. We do not recommend a one week training program because of all of the material that has to be briefly covered of completely left out.
The schedule that follows is a "pared-down" version of the two-week schedule, with these changes:
1. The model designing and construction is eliminated. This means that people don't have a chance to try a new or different design, but will more likely decide on a less-risky, assured design.
2. Extension sessions are all but eliminated. Those that do take place seemed rushed and there is little time to discuss the combining of technical and extension skills.
3. Construction time is limited, which tends to make people design and build extremely simple devices that never seem "real" to them; they have little time or energy invested in their devices.
4. There is no repetition of the loading and unloading of dryers. People have one, and maybe two chances to prepare different foods in different ways, or use different devices.
5. The mid-program evaluation does not have much to look back on and leaves little time to make changes in the remainder of the program.
6. Optional sessions have to be scheduled in the evenings, which reduced motivation and tires people more quickly. It is harder on the trainers, as well as the participants.
Proposed training program
schedule
This Description of Training Program is a concise outline of the proposed training program in improved food drying and storage. It can be used in a number of ways:
1. It can be sent to prospective Peace Corps Directors or Associate Directors in whose country such a training would meet a community-felt need.
2. It can be sent to the program manager or logistics coordinator who is in charge of organizing the workshop and/or purchasing materials and tools.
3. It can be sent to other trainers to brief them on the timing and content of the training program and to point out those areas in which assistant trainers could take part.
4. It can be sent to Peace Corps Volunteers who would like more information on the program.
5. It can be sent to local people, who may be interested in taking the program and would like more information.
The Improved Food Drying and Storage Training Program that is offered includes both theoretical (classroom) and practical (hands-on) experience in the technical and extension skills necessary to successfully design and build devices and introduce them to local people. The following categories detail the proposed program:
1. Timing
A. The program is designed to be delivered in two weeks and this is strongly suggested. However, the program can be reduced to a one-week program with a considerable reduction in the quality of the training material.
B. The program is designed to be presented eight hours per day, Monday through Friday, and four hours on Saturday (the proposed schedule is available for your perusal).
C. Sessions are designed to be presented in two- and four-hour blocks of time, specifically, 8AM to Noon, and 2PM to 6PM. Evening sessions are possible, but not recommended.
D. The program is approximately one-third technical, one-third hands-on and one-third extension.
2. The Technical Component includes the following:
A. The advantages and disadvantages of traditional drying and
storage
B. Design considerations for dryers and stores
C. Design,
construction, testing and modification of dryers and stores
D. The safe
application of insecticides
E. Identification and control of storage
pests
F. Design information on natural cooling and rainy-season drying
G.
Information on "other technologies" as suggested by the participants
3. The Extension Component includes the following:
A. Adult learning theory and methodology
B. Non-Formal
education theory and practice
C. Effective techniques for the introduction of
new technologies to non-formally educated people
D. Community Assessment
methods and practice E. Method demonstrations
4. Optional Sessions (offered in place of or in addition to other sessions) include:
A. Technical dryer design information
B. Solar siting
C.
Preparation of fruits and vegetables for drying
D. The use of dried
foods
E. Problem-solving
skills
Descriptive Bibliography of solar Dryers and Storage Devices
A. Solar Dryers
1. A Survey of Solar Agricultural Dryers - Report T99, Dec. 1975
This Survey contains the history, use, plans and drawings of solar dryers from throughout the world. Locally designed and built dryers are of special interest. Full of technical data and useful drawings and plans.
2. Preserving Food by Drying. A Math/Science Teaching Manual (Manual #M-10)
A very good teaching manual for people involved in education at the junior high or high school level. Describes the physics of solar energy design and the physiology of dryad foods, health and nutrition.
3. Proceedings of the Solar Dryer Workshop, Manila, Philippines, 1978.
Focus of this book is the drying of foods in humid tropical regions of the world. More technical, less practical.
B. Drying and Storage
1. Post-harvest Food Losses in Developing Countries.
An excellent book describing food losses and how to control them. Complete with photographs of improved storage devices from around the world. Focus on using low-cost improvements which utilize local materials and resources.
2. Small Farm Grain Storage
A complete manual on solar dryers, back-up heaters, improved storage devices, and enemies of stored grain. Good information on control of insects and rodents. Full of clear drawings, charts, and plans.
3. Village Technology in Eastern Africa
Focus on improving health and nutrition of women and children through the use of appropriate technologies. Short section on solar dryers and improved food storage devices.
C. Grain Storage
1. Appropriate Technology for Grain Storage
Report of one village dealing with their food storage problems in weeks using the dialogue approach to community development. Focus on improving local grain storage techniques using simple, low-cost, locally designee and built devices.
2. Programming and Training for Small Farm Grain Storage
Complements Small Farm Grain Storage, with focus on methods of taking that information to farms and rural areas.
3. Handling and Storage of Food Grains in Tropical and Subtropical Areas #12, Hall, D.W., 1975, 2nd Ed., Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Rome, ITALY
An excellent, detailed and highly technical handbook on storage of food grains, from small-scale to large scale. Full of useful information for trainers, agriculturists and extension workers.
Before you depart the U.S.:
· Establish contact with Peace Corps/Washington and become familiar with what communication there has been with the country in which the training will take place.
· Modify the "Description of Training" as much as you feel necessary and distribute it with an introductory cover letter to the appropriate people.
· Coordinate travel plans with Peace Corps schedules, and be sure arrival date and time are communicated to the country.
· Complete travel related preparations in a timely fashion: obtain visas, vaccinations and WHO card up-date, medications for suggested possible illnesses.
· Prepare the Participant's Notebooks, even if you are not sure yet of all of the specific handouts you will be using, as in-country facilities may not be readily available for such quantities.
· Identify and order text materials.
In-Country:
· Conduct a pre-training needs assessment, including a village visit.
· Arrange for locally available building materials to be made (i.e., mud blocks, baskets, woven mats, etc.) and collected (i.e., bush poles, bamboo, etc.) as soon after your arrival as possible as some may take some time (such as 3 day drying time for mud blocks).
· Meet with Peace Corps staff who are involved in this program, to discuss their and participants' expectations.
· Meet with training staff (trainers, support staff, training assistants, site logistics/administrative personnel) to discuss the program and clarify roles and responsibilities for each.
|
Materials |
Size, description |
Number to buy |
|
Mudblocks |
15cm x 15cm x 30cm |
200-300 |
|
Cement, 50kg bag |
50 kg bags |
3-5 |
|
Sand |
cubic yards |
1 |
|
Gravel |
cubic yards |
1 |
|
Clay |
cubic yards, dry |
1 |
|
Chicken wire |
galvanized, 1cm holes | |
| |
1m x 25m roll |
1 |
|
Plastic Sheet |
clear, polyethylene or vinyl, 2m x 25m |
1 |
|
Window screen |
fiberglass or nylon (not metal) 1m x 15m |
1 |
|
Mosquito Netting |
nylon, not cloth 2m x 25m |
1 |
|
Wire, thin |
18-26 gauge, 30m total |
1 |
|
Twine, 2-3mm |
2-3mm diameter, locally made, 100m |
1 |
|
Bush Rope |
4-6mm diameter, local 50m |
1 |
|
Nails: |
3cm long, kilograms |
1-3 |
| |
5cm long, kilograms |
1-3 |
| |
8cm long, kilograms |
1-3 |
|
Paint, black |
flat or matte, liters |
1-2 |
|
Paint, white |
gloss, exterior |
1-2 |
|
Corrugated metal roofing galvanized, |
75cm x 2m |
8 sheets |
|
Corrugated Fiberglass roofing clear, |
75cm x 2m |
3 sheets |
|
Lumber: 1" x 6" x 10m total length (in 3-4m lengths) |
1 | |
|
2" x 2" x 20m total length |
1 | |
|
Large baskets for food storage, 1 cubic meter size |
3 | |
|
Woven mats approx. 2m x 20m TOTAL (found in pieces) |
1 | |
|
Bush poles 4-6 cm diameter, 3m long |
80 | |
|
Bamboo poles 4-6 cm diameter, 3m long |
20 | |
|
Reeds 1-2 cm diameter, 1m long |
100 | |
|
Calabashes various sizes, with tapered neck, whole |
5 | |
|
Large Tins, 20 liter, empty |
5 | |
|
Salt, fine, dry, kilogram |
½ | |
|
1% Malathion Dust insecticide, kilogram |
½ | |
|
FRUITS & VEGETABLES: various types, as available, FRESH (See Sessions 2 and 13) | ||
|
Cardboard boxes, approx. 1/2 cubic meter size, strong |
10 | |
|
Tools | ||
|
Shovels pointed for digging |
3 | |
|
Saws, crosscut and rip, each |
2 | |
|
Hammers, 1/2kg claw (for hammering and pulling nails) |
4 | |
|
Pliers, medium length 15-20cm |
3 | |
|
Tin Snips, 30cm |
2 | |
|
Trowels, diamond-shaped, masonry, 20cm length blade |
3 | |
|
Paint Brushes, inexpensive, 5-10cm wide |
3 | |
|
Buckets, either metal or plastic, 10 liter size |
3 | |
|
Wood chisels, 1cm, 2cm, 3cm each |
1 | |
|
Tape measures, 2 meter length |
4 | |
|
Files for sharpening machetes and tools, 20-30cm length |
1 | |
|
Thermometers, 3-5cm dia. dial-type preferred, for air |
6 | |
|
Paring Knives, 9cm - 12cm blade, inexpensive |
10 | |
|
Bubble Levels, for masonry work, 30cm-40cm |
2 | |
|
Machetes or local big knives, sharp |
6 | |
Certificate of
competition
 |
 |
