Challenges Hindering Economic Success

Political tensions and the effects of climate change have prevented Zimbabwe from reaching its full potential in recent decades. According to the World Food Programme of the United Nations, around six million people—nearly 40% of Zimbabwe’s population—suffer from hunger and malnutrition. Many businesses have shut down or are struggling. Legal uncertainty and limited access to credit restrict the economic success of smallholder farmers.

However, Zimbabwe has favorable agricultural conditions. This is where AFOS focuses its project work.

Our Achievements

Since its inception, the project has

• trained over 15,000 smallholder farmers and wild plant collectors across the country and
• certified more than 13,000 in organic farming.
• We have developed 15 new training modules and published 10 digital programs through our partners’ communication channels.
• With the introduction of two mobile training units, we can reach our target audience anywhere, anytime.
• We have established three biochar production facilities, producing 343 tons of biochar, sequestering 878 tons of CO2, and creating 24 rural jobs.

Fishing families struggle with natural disasters and poverty

Although the Philippines is one of Asia’s emerging economies, nearly 20% of Filipinos live below the poverty line. The country’s geographical location brings with it a variety of natural disasters (including typhoons, floods, earthquakes and tsunamis). These cause serious economic damage every year.

However, fishing families are very often affected by poverty. They often suffer the most from the effects of natural disasters. Increasing overfishing and resource degradation (corals, mangroves, etc.), as well as a lack of knowledge about the use of modern technologies and food standards, inhibit their productivity. This is where AFOS project work comes in, which focuses on the promotion of sustainable fisheries in the Philippines.

How we continue to advocate for sustainable fisheries in the Philippines

The project is now in its second phase and focuses on four key areas of outcome: training for fishermen and MSMEs, dual training in the fisheries sector, market access and resource conservation.

• We qualify Business Membership Organisations (BMOs) in Central Visayas, which in turn provide services in the areas of dual training and certification, sustainable fisheries promotion and marketing.
• The BMOs are supported in developing new services for the value chain. For example, they will be empowered to participate in the implementation of dual training approaches in the fisheries and food sector based on the CCCI Assessment, Certification & Accreditation Service (ACAS). ACAS was founded as part of our K to 12 Plus project.
• The provision of alternative livelihood skills and the training of value-added skills in sustainable technologies and standards in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture contribute to income diversification. We are constantly working on the development, evaluation and certification of these skills.
• We empower BMOs to ensure collaboration between fishermen and their respective local government units (LGUs).

Reactivating the Economy – a Necessity

In 2021, youth unemployment rose above 25%. At-risk groups such as youth, women and ethnic minorities suffer the most from the economic impact of the Corona pandemic.

On the political side, there is a need for reactivation measures of the economy. In addition, a deficit in youth employment programmes was identified (read more here). The Colombian labour market consists of 95% small and medium-sized enterprises. This is where we at AFOS in Colombia come in with our project work.

What AFOS has already achieved in Colombia

• 80 young people participate in our programmes
• 20 companies have introduced dual training in their companies
• 60 employers from the companies of the project partners were trained in “train the trainer” seminars
• 4 academic offerings have been implemented to meet the needs of our focus sectors on the ground

How AFOS is working in Colombia to reduce youth unemployment:

• We support our project partners in the (further) development and implementation of needs-based dual vocational training.
• We develop measures and offers that support graduates of dual vocational education and training in their transition to the labour market.
• We support our partners in promoting dual vocational education and training in their networks and expand it further if necessary.

Working in the informal sector inhibits opportunities for development

According to the World Bank, Mexico is now one of the upper-middle-income countries and is no longer considered a developing country but an emerging one. However, as an attractive business location for companies worldwide with an unemployment rate of less than 4%, Mexico’s population suffers from extreme social differences. 40% of the people live in poverty. More than half of them work in the informal sector, without social security. This applies in particular to employees in the service sector and professions that do not require a degree. This is where AFOS comes in with its project work.

What we have already achieved:

• November 2021: Signing of a Memorandum of Understandingbetween the AFOS Foundation and the local partners of the project to formalize the “Central-Bajio-West Business Alliance for Dual Education”
• State /Economic Councils for Dual Education have been formed in each state of the Central Bajio-West region, working regularly and on a documented basis with four working groups in each council: (1) Market Analysis and Growth, (2) Quality, (3) Academic, (4) Economics
• In each state, minimum standards and guidelines for dual training have been developed and established, taking into account national and regional legislation and structure
• AEDual has initiated the development and implementation of a fully online dual modular training platform
• A business intelligence platform was created to capture and document the demand for higher education and dual training of companies in real time

Nigeria needs 3 million new jobs a year

Nigeria’s population already numbers more than 200 million people and is growing rapidly. Lagos, the economic centre of West Africa with 26 million inhabitants, is growing by 3.5% annually, which is the size of Frankfurt. Due to the prevailing lack of infrastructure, health care and education, there is little prospect of secure employment, housing and basic social services. The country needs 3 million new and sustainable jobs every year.

Without a perspective for young people, however, urbanisation, violence and migration – also to Europe – will increase rapidly. Already in 2022, 60% of the population were young people aged 15 to 35. This is where AFOS comes in with its project work.

What we have already achieved

• We supported the establishment of the MLDC training institute with the 8 key players in the microfinance sector in Nigeria
• We actively supported the establishment of the Nigerian Microfinance Platform (NMP), which currently has 36 members and acts as the most important sector network and innovation driver.
• Our partners have increased the number of microfinance customers tenfold to more than 6 million
• 5 studies and 8 symposia were conducted on the topics of corporate governance, savings mobilisation, digitalisation, sector consolidation, agricultural finance finance and self-regulation.
• More than 300 managers and junior staff were trained in management methods , each for around 50 days
• More than 300 participants were trained in workshops on organizational development .
• We have trained more than 2,250 smallholder farmers, of which more than 370 additional trainers underwent the Trainer Eligibility Qualification
• 136 loan officers/branch managers from 62 microfinance banks across the country have received intensive training on agricultural finance – e-learning modules are currently being developed
• We have qualified 57 semi-skilled employees for animal husbandry, agricultural technology and quality management in a 12-month dual training programme.
• We are working with key partners in the sector to facilitate the establishment of an agricultural training college led by MLDC (to promote capacity building in agriculture)
• 20 managers participated in microfinance exposure trips to Ghana, East Africa and Germany, resulting in cross-country collaboration

One of many success stories:

Idris Muhammed Amisu has to finance his studies at the Federal College of Education, Zaria. This was only possible because he increased the yield of his one-hectare rice farm tenfold at the Kwali Area Council in Abuja, which he achieved by completing the AFOS training for small farmers and the subsequent training.

“Before these two trainings, I produced 2-3 bags of rice per hectare, but now it’s 25 bags.”

Cecilia Omoagbor has developed her fish farm into a company with an integrated value chain. She owes this to the training she received from the AFOS Foundation. Cecilia has improved her business and with it her income and lifestyle. A qualified and practicing farmer trainer, Cecilia now trains other young fish farmers in her community and beyond.

“Currently, I can successfully hatch, grow, process, package and market my products.”