Brazil Africa Institute trains young Africans in cassava management in Bahia

From August 19th to 30th, the Brazil Africa Institute (IBRAF) will host the inaugural class of the Youth Technical Training Programme for 2024/2025. In collaboration with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), the training will be conducted at the Embrapa Cassava and Fruits unit in Cruz das Almas, Bahia.

Originally launched by IBRAF in 2017, this technical training programme is designed to empower young Africans across diverse sectors such as agriculture and rural development, health, information technology, education, infrastructure, sports, communication, entrepreneurship, and the creative industries. In this edition, 10 young professionals from Sierra Leone will receive specialized training in cassava management.

Over the course of two weeks, participants will engage in hands-on activities, learn advanced techniques, connect with Brazilian professionals, attend expert-led lectures, and gain access to state-of-the-art processing machinery. The program aims to enhance their skills and foster entrepreneurship, enabling them to apply their newfound knowledge to their professional lives.

“This initiative underscores IBRAF’s dedication to showcasing effective Brazilian practices to the African continent. The logic is simple: if it works in Brazil, there’s a strong possibility it can also be successful in Africa, with due respect for local specificities,” says Professor João Bosco Monte, founder and president of the Brazil Africa Institute.

This program is being organized in collaboration with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Agriculture, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). With a target of training 1,000 young African professionals across various disciplines by 2025, this initiative is poised to make a significant impact on the continent’s development.