Training for agronomists

 

 

>>Training Procedures

>>The AAA philosophy

>>First: agronomists screening process for participating training

>>Second: Divisions of Training program

>>Third: Elective and Compulsory Subjects

>>General Skills and Abilities Program "Part": "Compulsory"

>>Implementation Program "Part"

>>Specialized technical program section (optional)

 

 

Training procedures

First: agronomists screening process for participating training.

Second: the stages of the training process.

Third: compulsory and optional courses.

General abilities and skills program.

Applied program section.

Applied research program section.

Specialized technical program section.

The compulsory courses agronomists participating the training program should pass. Additional programs and courses that was added considering agronomists needs and wants.

The AAA have adopted the local and international fresh graduates agronomists training program for thirteen years to seriously participate the process of supporting and providing to the Palestinian agricultural and rural sectors well trained and qualified human resource. As a result, many agronomists have passed the training course held by the AAA in its WB training centers (Martyr Naem Khader Training Center- AL-Zababdeh, Martyr Raja' Abu Amasheh Training Center- Jericho, and The Agricultural Training Center in Gaza), where more than 450 agronomists were graduated by the year 2003 equipped with the needed skills and knowledge as extentionist in the fields of Plant Production, Animal Production, food industry, agro-economics, and rural development. Where local universities students receive theoretical education beside some inefficient practical applications which don’t give agronomists the needed experience in their professional life. Another benefits can be gained from these training programs is to get Palestinian agronomists who studied abroad familiar with the Palestinian agricultural sector environment.

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The AAA philosophy:

Produce qualified agronomists having the ability of working under pressure. Provide agronomists with general frames and procedures to be self-educated and self-developed.

Developing agronomists communication and interpersonal skills. Linking together the social, economic, and agricultural researches with the process of guiding and development.

Provide agronomists with the needed computer and internet skills, in addition to the English language skills.

Associate agronomists with the needs and problems of the rural areas in Palestine. Develop gained techniques from the university education.

Training procedures

First: agronomists screening process for participating training

40-80 agronomists are choose annually from WB and Gaza to participate the training held by the AAA in its three training centers.

- The participant must have a Bachelor degree from an approved on university.

- The participant must be a fresh graduate (not more than three years from graduation).

- To have the intention to stay in one of the training centers through the training period.

- The geographical distribution of the agronomists should be taken under consideration. - Different specializations should be considered.

Second: Divisions of Training program

The training program implemented by the association covers three parts" specializations":

-  Plant production division.

-  Animal production division.

-  Food industry division.

Moreover, the association is working on developing the training program for the agronomists by adding several specializations and divisions to the program such as / agro economics division.

Third: Elective and Compulsory Subjects

The program consists of four parts (requirements), three of them are compulsory and one is elective for each participant, implemented in a period of nine months in which the agronomists must stay in one of the training centers related to the association (PARC) in West Bank and Gaza, and the association demonstration stations , and the governmental and nongovernmental associations demonstration stations such as the ministry of agriculture and its research centers.

General Skills and Abilities Program "Part": "Compulsory"

In which the Participants receives practical and theoretical trainings, focusing on computer and internet, English language, communication skills, project management, gender, development, Palestinian agricultural politics, reports writing, principals of environmental management, natural recourses feasibility study, statistical analyzing for data and information, agricultural marketing, negotiation skills, civil society associations.

Implementation Program "Part":

Participants accompany PARC extension while their visits to the field in addition to working in agricultural ,animal, plants projects and food industry. Moreover, the agronomists must work for thirty days (field training) in PARC offices in the different areas.

 

Specialized technical program section (optional)

based on their specializations, The trainees receive theoretical and practical training considering the job opportunities in the public and private sectors such as; raising bees, cows, cheeps, and food industry.

The compulsory courses agronomists participating the training program should pass The following table shows the requested courses for each section the trainee must finish during the 9-monthes training course.

The Major Training Course

The Minor

Theoretical Hours

Practical Hours
Agricultural guidance and knowledge
  • The concept of agricultural guidance and knowledge.
  • The history of agricultural guidance.
  • Organizations that provide agricultural guidance.
  • Characteristics of the successful agronomists.
  • Methods for developing agricultural knowledge.
 10  
Integrated Pest Management
  • Chemical pesticides and its hazards.
  • The most important agricultural pests.
  • IPM definition and concepts.
  • Non chemical alternatives.
  • Using traps in the greenhouses.
  • Proposed pest management programs and discussion.

 

 30 20
Organic Farming
  • An introduction to organic farming and its history.
  • The definition of organic farming.
  • Requirements of organic farming.
  • Writing a draft for organic certification.
  • Writing a bill for organic farming.
  • Discussing drafts with trainees.
 40 20

Field researches Quick Research!!!!

 
  • Identifying and screening target group.
  • Implementing field researches in some villages in WB and Gaza.
  • Tools used in research.
  • Clarifying research objectives.
  • Research scientific approach.
  • The relation between research results and development programs.

 

 35 3 weeks
Greenhouse Agriculture
  • Determining the greenhouse location.
  • Composition of the greenhouse.
  • Dividing the greenhouse.
  • Installation of the irrigation system.
  • Planting the right kinds of plants that suits the greenhouse and the geography in that area.
  • Pest control inside the greenhouse.
 30 15
Communication Skills
  • The importance of communication in the development process.
  • Factors affecting the communication skills.
  • Types and methods of communication.
  • The effective communication process and its role in achieving the needed change.
  • Writing (letters) exercises.
17 8
Feasibility study
  • Management Concept.
  • Properties of successful management.
  • Types of technical, economical, and social feasibility studies. 
  • Organizing farms budget and ways of managing farms.
 16 Hours  
Agricultural marketing
  • Introduction about marketing concept.
  • Types of mixed marketing
  • Advertisement and publicity
  • The importance of marketing in the production process.
  • Different theories in the marketing process.
  • The role of the marketing advisor in the development process.
20 Hours  
Environmental management
  • environment and environmental system.
  • Black and gray liquid residues and its affect on the ground water. 
  • Treatment stations installation.
  • Biological digestive and projects achieved with the use of computer.
  • Environmental Guidance.
  • Solid residues. 

     

 30 Hours 10 Hours
Water resources management
  • Recognizing the most important recourses of water in West Bank and Gaza strip.
  • Be familiar with the contour lines.
  • The importance of water in the development and agricultural process.
  • Conserving water resources.
  • The miss use of ground water.
 24 Hours 8 Hours
Project management
  • Introduction for project management.
  • Ways and methods used in project management.
  • The features contributing to success in small projects.
  •  Basis of small projects.
  • Exercises in writing projects.
  • The preparation for the project and its implementation.
  • Ways in evaluating the project success.
 28 Hours 9 Hours
Bees`  Rearing
  • The feasibility study.
  • Types of bees.
  • Individuals' Life cycle within the group.
  • Taking care of bees through the four seasons.
  • Bees' diseases, precaution, and cures.
  • Practical training-recognizing group individuals.
  • Parcel and parcel grouping.
  • Adding frames and ÑÝÚ ÇáÚÇÓáÇÊ
  • Rearing bees` instruments.
12 Hours 35 Hours
Soil Fertelization
  • Soil fertilization using chemical and organic fertilizers.
  • Adding the necessary elements to the soil for fertilization.
  • Adding the necessary fertilizers to cover the lack in soil elements.
  • Soil analyzing and examining.
 15 Hours 22 Hours
Rain-Fed Crops
  • Production of new types of local seeds under enhancement.
  • The different needs of crops from fertilizers.
  • Diseases of grapes and fruit trees.
  • ÊÞáíã
  • Inoculation.
  • Olive fertilizing and its needs from chemical fertilizers and Compost.
  • Preparing natural fertilizers and Compost.
 28 Hours 15 Hours

Animal Production

"poultry"

 
  • Sterilization process, using formalin, ÇáÕæÏÇ ÇáßÇæíÉ æ ÇáÔíÏ æ ÇááåÈ
  • Recognizing the integrated pollination program through the rearing period.
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  • Facing disease and cures.
  • Ways of preparing registration forms.
  • Egg gathering process.
 2 weeks 2 weeks
Animal Production (sheep, cows, rabbit)
  • Diseases that infect the flock.
  • Methods of farm care.
  • Management of cow farms.
  • Raising rabbits.
  • Nutrition, fodders.
  • Methods of keeping animals in good health.
  • Identifying machinery used in injection, hair-cut, and nail-cut processes.
  • Clarifying diseases in common between animals and humans.
  • Meat… its benefits and features. 
2 weeks 2 weeks
Agricultural Machines.
  • Clarifying different types of agricultural machines.

 

 15 30
Scientific Research (agricultural research)
  • The fundamentals and approaches of scientific research
  • Methods of data gathering.
  • Applications and doing practical experiments in the farm.
  • Discussion of researches.
  • Preparing the scientific paper.
  • Using of statistical analysis in data classification and entry.

 

 64 4 months
Agro-Policies
  • Agriculture and the national economy.
  • Problems and obstacles facing the agricultural sector.
  • The agro-policies…concepts and objectives.
  • Identifying the policy maker.

 

 20  
Gender
  • The concept of gender and its importance in the development process.
  • The role played by women in the society.
  • Conducting researches to identify the position and the role rural women play in developing the rural sector.

 

 20 Hours 1 week
Reports Writing
  • Scientific procedures for writing reports.
  • Types of reports.
  • Memos and minutes of meeting.
  • Preparing for workshops.
  • Formulation and presentation of workshops reports.
  • Report writing exercises.
 24 Hours 12 Hours
Computer Skills
  • Statistical analysis training.
  • Using various computer programs (Word, Exsel, and PowerPoint).
  • Applications- writing and typing.
  • Web site design- Email address.
 40 Hours 45 Hours
English Language Skills
  • Writing skills.
  • Listening skills.
  • Report writing in English.
  • Conversation skills.
  • Writing CV’s in English.
  • Special English language exercises.
60 Hours 60 Hours
Food Production
  • Infiltration and freezing.
  • Dairy production process.
  • Pigment material.
  • Quality control system.
  • Sterilization.
  • Factory cleaners.
  • Field visits for private projects.
 25 Hours 25 Hours

Additional programs and courses that was added considering agronomists needs and wants.

 

1. Embellishment plants- its importance in the households economy through making use of available areas in houses and supporting women role in the rural development process.

2. Farmers unions- its concept and its importance to farmers, unions types, the role of the directing process.

3. Mushrooms planting- making a suitable environment available for planting mushrooms, methods for storing mushrooms, methods for mushroom’s planting and pest management.

4. Statistical analysis- data entry, data analysis, data management, computer applications, and merging files.

5. Civil society and democracy concepts- definition of civil society, civil society organizations and its role in the development process.

6. Agricultural law- introduction to the Palestinian and international agricultural law, supporting issues that concern the Palestinian farmer and its relation with the agricultural policy.

7. Negotiation skills- basics of successful negotiation, general background, preparing for the negotiation process, negotiation application process.

8. Voluntary work- concept, history, employment of volunteers, organizational needs for voluntary work, motivating volunteers, and developmental voluntary work.

9. Medical plants- planting and developing medical plants, medical plants pest management, medical plants participation in the production process.

10. Agronomists Field training in PARC’s offices and branches- applying different administrative skills, communication, financial follow-ups, report writing, follow-up the projects executed by PARC, in-field extintioning, identifying the rural sector, identifying the local market’s needs of trained and qualified human resources, application of concepts and knowledge gained by attending the training course in W/G.

11. Field visits- to some private projects and firms to be aware of its objectives and goals and arrangements for additional visits to farms and demonstrations for the specious planted and the development process.

 12. Farm management- bookkeeping, marketing, modern farm management, planning for establishing the pilot farm.

 
 
 
 
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