Fostering Agricultural Machinery & Food Technology in Senegal & Kenya (FAMFISK)

As a Bavarian University of Applied Sciences, the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT) carries out a large number of projects with African partner institutions in the field of applied academic training and capacity building as part of its "Network Africa". Across all projects, the focus is on strengthening agricultural value chains in the regions of the partner institutions through practical training and research.

The Maschinenring Foundation (MRF) has been implementing the successful model of local self-help organization of farmers, which has been tried and tested for 60 years, on the African continent for some time now. Over the past five years, MRF has established a total of 130 machinery rings with 30,500 member farms in Senegal and Kenya. This has increased the level of mechanization and productivity of smallholder farmers and contributed to climate and resource protection. Education also plays a particularly important role in MRF's international activities.

The Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft (bbw) implements a large number of education and training projects in a total of 30 countries on four continents. One focus of bbw's work is on close cooperation with partners
on site and networking with local companies, associations and the public sector.

All three applying institutions (HSWT, MRF, bbw) have already received funding from the Bavarian State Government for the implementation of projects in the areas of agricultural value chains, food security and employability of young people in Senegal. As part of these project activities, there was a great need for a stronger link between vocational and academic education as well as for practice- and demand-oriented higher education. All participants also have extensive experience and partner networks in Kenya.

Over the course of the project, a total of two further education measures will be organized at the Senegalese
University of USSEIN and the Kenyan University of JOOUST. In order to link academic and vocational training more closely in the sense of a dual study principle, the dual study principle, the further education measures are also characterized by a strong practical focus.

The further education measures demonstrate the advantages of cooperation between universities of applied sciences, society and the private sector in Senegal and Kenya and act as a start-up measure for sustainable integration of the respective local players. The training measures also act as a "blueprint" for other countries in Europe and Africa where the MRF is active.

As a direct target group, the measure addresses Senegalese and Kenyan teachers and students, who acquire key skills and qualify for work in agricultural consulting or in the expansion of machinery rings in Senegal and Kenya.

The indirect target group of the measure are smallholder farmers, who receive suggestions for solutions to real agricultural problems through the summer schools. Other beneficiaries of the measure are USSEIN and JOOUST, which are supported in networking with the private sector and society.