Farmer Education and training is a central part of WINFA’s programming, in order to solidify farm management, environmental management capacity and the organizational skills at district, national and regional levels. Farmers must also continue to strive for better quality and increase yields of production, while ensuring that practices are environmentally sustainable.

Organizationally, there is on-going need to strengthen the farmers capacity to play a more active role in the design, implementation and evaluation of programs, at any level. As the forces of globalization and trade liberalization bear down on the back of the farmers and rural communities, it is necessary to strengthen economic literacy levels and develop advocacy and lobbying skills to improve farmers understanding of the issues and, as a result, improve the quality of the interface with policy makers.

In this regard WINFA continues to consolidate its farmer's training to make it more structured and targeted. Broadening membership demands that every new member is equally able to meaningfully participate and produce. Members must be able to improve their levels of involvement and tend their farm with sufficient environmental management capacity.

The Training Objectives:

To strengthen the capacity of farmers to participate more effectively, and to represent their groups, national committees and the regional farmers movement as a whole.

To develop the knowledge and skill levels of farmers for greater productivity and more environmentally sound and sustainable farming practices.

To deepen and widen the participation of traditionally marginalized groups (women and youths, in particular) as means of ensuring their full participation in national development processes.

Training Areas includes:

A structured Farmer Training Series focusing on leadership development, organizational management, program design & development, strategic thinking & planning, etc. This training is developed and implemented in collaboration with other institutions, such as the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the National Development Foundation.

An on-going educational series for farmers on economic trade literacy, advocacy and networking skills. This series is usually pursued in conjunction with other CSO partners agencies such as the CPDC/CRG, OXFAM, ART, etc.

Farm management training including financial management; cost reduction; optimizing resources use; development of farm plans; pre and post harvest applications; records management, etc.

Young farmers are trained by demonstration.

Sustainable agricultural practices – focusing on fulfilling Fair-trade environmental criteria.

Areas of training includes:

Exposure to basic knowledge and skills required to take and process nematode samples - in conjunction with the University of the West Indies (UWI), which facilitate the identification and count of nematodes.