Agri-education
Securing youth employment in key Beninese agri-food value chains
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Motivated graduates with practical skills
The agricultural sector needs skilled graduates with an entrepreneurial mindset. By building partnerships between educators and the private sector we help provide students with inspiring opportunities for practice-based learning.
The average age of farmers is increasing. Young people are struggling to find employment, but they don’t see opportunities to generate a decent income in the agri-food sector. It can be challenging for agricultural education institutions to equip their student with practical competencies. As a result, graduates lack the skills required to succeed in the workplace or their own agri-food business. SMEs need more motivated, skilled agribusiness professionals necessary to assure food security.
But it doesn’t have to be like this. Strong relationships between educational institutions and agribusinesses give students opportunities for real-life learning, practical internships and inspirational case studies. Educators can align their curricula with the needs of the labor market and evolve with private sector innovation.
Inspiring new generation of agri-food professionals
iCRA facilitates connections between educational institutions and the private sector. We develop teachers’ partnership-building skills to assure long-term, win-win collaboration. We also guide curriculum revision and train teachers in innovative educational design and delivery. By helping teachers implement practice-based training in the classroom, we equip them to motivate students and inspire their careers in the agri-food sector.
We aim for synergy between our activities with agri-food SMEs and educational institutions. The agribusinesses shape an agri-food sector that is thriving, innovative and an attractive career option for young people.
“My experience with iCRA made an indelible mark on how I engage students. Even in my large class of over 300 students, I find ways to use interactive learning approaches.”
Our solutions
Labor market connection
We facilitate long-term relationships between educational institutions and the private sector. We help educators to align their curricula with the world of work and provide opportunities for practice.
Rethinking higher education
iCRA delivers innovative training in practice-based learning to strengthen teachers' skills. We guide curriculum revision by integrating both entrepreneurial and practical skills into our programs.
What to expect
Meeting the needs of the labor market
Agribusinesses want motivated, skilled graduates. iCRA identifies the skills that businesses need and then guides the design of a responsive curriculum.. Meaningful connections help to forge longer-lasting relationships between educational institutions and the private sector.
Dynamic and practical teaching
We understand the challenges of agri-educations. iCRA gives teachers the tools to motivate students and build practical, real-world skills. Our trainings turn lecturers into leaders who facilitate learning.
Tailored manuals and lesson plans
We design manuals and lesson plans based on real-life case studies and challenges. Our sessions take students through the process of developing a skill step-by-step. As they develop, students gain confidence and feel a sense of accomplishment.
Entrepreneurship skills
Entrepreneurial skills are essential give students what they need to face complex, commercial challenges. We enable teachers to cultivate entrepreneurial skills through skill development and practice-based learning.
Optimizing internships
Well-designed internship programs benefit both students and the private sector. We build long-term partnerships between educators and businesses and help teachers to identify suitable hosts for internships This allows all parties to clearly define responsibilities, expectations and success criteria.
Alumni networks
Rich alumni networks create professional development opportunities for all students. They also provide students with practice-based learning assignments, internships and jobs. We help educational institutions to maintain and nurture long-term connections with graduates.
Our impact
Our pool of partnerships facilitators is the legacy we leave. Because we focus on training local professionals, our results grow along with our network.
99
Countries in our network
979
Agribusiness cluster coaches and trainers trained
490
Agribusiness clusters facilitated
167
+Educational institutes supported
1657
Educators and researchers trained
9
Average participant's course rating out of ten
An entrepreneurial approach driven by industry needs
The agricultural sector needs motivated, skilled graduates with an entrepreneurial mindset. Educational institutions strongly connected to agribusinesses understand the labor market’s needs and they can tailor their curricula accordingly. We facilitate such partnerships and guide the alignment of diverse curricula with industry needs.
This is a dynamic process that is constantly evolving with market trends. iCRA also supports agri-education professionals to deliver practice-based education. We train teachers in innovative, student-centered pedagogy that engages participants and prepares them for the real world.
