The time is now to engage youth in agriculture | CCAFS: CGIAR research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security

The time is now to engage youth in agriculture | CCAFS: CGIAR research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security

SMS-based solution to discover fake agro inputs

• Fake agricultural inputs are causing food insecurity and making farmers poorer. At the #ICT4Ag13 Conference in Kigali, Bruce Kisitu will present an SMS-based solution to discover fake agro input. Read more at http://bit.ly/1bSC2LM

Inspiring youth to participate in agricultural activities

Farming is getting an image make-over in Kenya to make it more attractive to young people. Mkulima Young, a group of young farmers are using social media to change the attitude towards farming as a profession. Find out how they do it at http://bit.ly/1a9hv6r

My DOT's Internship Journey: Giving Back To The Community, A Hidden Secret For Growth

I learned that doing something for the community you live in and returning the favor to those who have helped you are strong motivators. Everyone, rich or poor, intellectual or illiterate takes from society, and giving back is one way to show a sense of appreciation. With a vision to become a global citizen who can change the world, I became motivated to acquire 21st century skills that matter today. After joining DOT-Rwanda in August 2012 as an intern, I found myself in an environment that stimulated me to grow.

My name is Clet Iyamenye Nibeho. I hold a Bachelors degree in Food Science and Technology. I heard about DOT Rwanda for the first time in February 2012 through a friend of mine who was completing this exciting internship with DOT and I discussed with him about DOT and what does it deals with.  He explained in details DOT's mission and vision and all ongoing programs. It was my final year, he then encouraged me to stay tuned and apply online in June the same year when DOT was going to recruit a new wave of interns. I was excited and searched the web to know more about DOT. After I went through a rigorous recruitment process, I successfully passed both the written and oral exams. An online learning and face-to-face trainings were provided before being deployed on the field at GSK center in Musanze district in September 2012. 

 

Left: Clet delivering "Mapping your assets" module at GSK. Right: Graduation Ceremony at Busogo Community Telecenter

I found the DOT internship very amazing and every day has been an opportunity to gain skills, knowledge and expertise. Today, I consider this opportunity as the best learning and transforming experience I ever had because through it, I managed to grow and develop both professionally and personally. I learned to carefully listen, interact and build strong and long-term networks. In addition, The DOT internship enabled me to interact with several people from different backgrounds and different views. All of these helped me to develop a good and strong personality. 

One of my great achievements in DOT was a developed strong partnership with GS BUSOGO (I) where I negotiated a new host center that helped us to deliver the ReachUp! I was able to train more than 250 beneficiaries through the DOT training and their success stories are overwhelming, from young people who decided to go back to school to pursue higher education, others started small-scale businesses to support themselves and their families and also who have experienced livelihood improvements due to a buildup of their self-confidence.

 

  One of my participants called Kayitera Jean found an amazing job in a Tigo Service center located in Musanze District.

Some remarquable impacts of the ReachUp! program 

ReachUp! program has not only changed participants' lives, but also it has greatly changed mine. In DOT, I found a new passion for ICT and experienced how the uses of technology do not only create interesting opportunities but also helped me to acquire different skills and build my capacities.

DOT helped me to become a lifelong learner since the introduction to online learning where we were taught how to blog, different social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, among others that people use and different tools available. This has inspired me a lot and I have managed to find an amazing online training on Web2.0 and Social media for development organized by a Netherland Organization called CTA.

 Clet awarded a CTA certificate on Web2.0 and Social Media for Development

From these online experiences and participation, I started to try different online opportunities like call for applications provided to young people especially from developing countries, the first best result was the time I won the competition and selected as one of eight Rwandan Topic Champions to participate in the first DOT's Youth and Learning UnConference held at Kenyatta University at Nairobi (Kenya) in May 2013 and I got the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with many people from different corners of the world on youth issues. I had an opportunity to present my paper about "Youth empowerment" and exchanged experiences with others people from around the globe on how young people in developing countries can be empowered to achieve a sustainable development.

 Clet presenting his poster on Youth empowerment during the DOT's UnConference at Nairobi

With all the skills I gained in social media, I easily built my network and I was able to keep in touch with other DOT Interns from other countries where DOT operates, through sharing contacts, starting discussion and to learn more from the DOT platform. This experience showed me the power of global networks and the positive impacts when people come together to share experiences from all over the world.

Last but not least, through my interests in different online opportunities, in July 2013, I was selected among 25 people from 331 candidates to participate in the first African Internet governance school organized by APC (Association for Progressive Communication) in partnership with NEPAD e-Program which took place at Durban in South Africa. I have been excited by winning such great learning opportunity where we discussed a lot about how government, private sector and civil society should be engaged together with partners in developing and applying policies, rules and principles which can shape the evolution and the use of internet in our countries and the whole Africa. This conference was very interesting and I felt honored to be selected as a DOT Intern.

 Class of the 1st African school on Internet Governance at Durban in South Africa and Clet while sharing his experience.

Briefly, DOT has provided me with the opportunity to learn and develop as a young person and enabled me to provide the same opportunity to other young people in my community. DOT is a leading global organization that I am proud to be part of.

I am grateful to DOT for giving me an opportunity to serve my community, since helping others made me feel good about myself; I know I am doing something for someone that I know they couldn't do for themselves. A smile from a thankful person shows you're really making a difference in someone's life, and that's the greatest feeling in the world.

How to Create a Job Skills Development Plan

 1. Outline your goals. Think about where you see yourself professionally in 3 to 5 years. Your goal may be to earn a promotion, start your own company, switch to a different career or work fewer hours. Be specific about your long-term goals, including all details about the type of job you ultimately want and the activities of your day-to-day life.

 2. Assess your current situation. Determine how far you are from reaching your ultimate goal. If you want to become the manager of your own store, for example, think about the steps and skills necessary for achieving your goal. An increase in product knowledge, greater skill in employee management or stronger sales abilities are examples of necessary competencies. 

 3. Acknowledge your strengths and highly developed skills. Strong computer skills, analytical ability and marketing knowledge are examples of strengths. List all of your highly developed skills, even if you do not utilize them in your current work situation. Review your work history and recall feedback from past supervisors and co-workers to help you develop this list.

 4. Identify your weaknesses. Write down areas in need of improvement. Write them as positive statements, such as, "develop organizational skills" or "gain knowledge of XYZ software application."

 - Speak to your supervisor, co-workers and others who are familiar with your work habits. Ask them to identify skills that you can further develop to help you reach your professional goals. 

 5. Create an action plan for developing your skills. Review your list of weaknesses and identify the areas that are critical components of achieving your long-term goals. If your goal is to manage a team, for example, and you find it difficult to deal with conflicts and stress, focus on strengthening this skill. Find an employee management class that teaches techniques in conflict resolution.

-Determine if you prefer self-directed study, hands-on practice or a traditional classroom environment for developing skills.  

6. Assign a time line for the development of each skill. Be realistic. Some skills require extensive study and practice before they become strengths. Consult with your supervisor, guidance counselor, co-workers and others who may have insights about a reasonable time line for developing each skill. 

7. Check in with yourself regularly to assess your progress. Ask others whose observations you trust for feedback on your skills development progress. Stay focused on your goals by posting reminders on your calendar or on post-it notes. Display inspiring images on your desk or refrigerator, such as a picture of your ideal career life or symbols of the prosperity your new skills will bring.

 Useful links

 1.http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_CDV.htm

 2.http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Job-Skills-Development-Plan

(Web2.0)How could we Use ICT to enable Agricultural Innovation Systems for smallholders?

ICT can expand communication, cooperation, and ultimately innovation among the wide array of actors in agriculture. This forum builds on Module 6 of the "ICT in Agriculture Sourcebook", and is exploring how ICT can improve the concepts and operations discussed in the Agricultural Innovation Systems Sourcebook.

The discussion is currently exploring:

• What ICT innovations are being used for farmers to access and exchange the information they need, and for service providers to provide information to farmers? 
•  
• What factors make ICT-based advisory services for smallholders sustainable?
•  
• How does ICT facilitate knowledge generation, documentation, and sharing in support of farmers and of farmer innovations?
•  
• What evidence exists of smallholders using and/or benefitting from ICT-based advisory services?

Milk industries have to be carefull always!!!!!!

The raw milk should be always undergo several tests of quality control such as, pH determination which give us more informations on milk acidity, the specific gravity test which give us more informations on milk density and that milk have not been adulterated buy local farmers before supplying it at the industry!!!


other tests also are done at the reception such as alcohol test by using alcohol gun apparatus, and the apparatus known as Lactoscan/ milk analyzer help us to know the milk components such as protein content, fat content, lactose content, the pH, solid non fat, the added water, the milk density ,etc....

to well know the milk fat content the Gerber method can be done .

thanks and enjoy the milk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!