Coaching and Mentoring in Agricultural Value Chains

The Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project supports the efforts of the GoE to transform the smallholder agriculture sector to a more market-oriented sector. LIVES uses a value chain framework to develop targeted livestock and irrigated agriculture commodities through integrated technical and institutional innovations. Such a framework recognizes that value chain actors add value at different stages of the value chain and that individuals and organizations provide inputs and services to the value chain actors. Capacity development plays a critical enabling role to facilitate adoption and scaling out of value chain development interventions and approaches by addressing attitudinal, knowledge and skills gaps in value chain actors, service providers and value chain supporters. LIVES capacity development interventions focus on the facilitation of strategic linkages and the transfer of knowledge and skills through practical training, coaching and mentoring, and study tours to develop gender transformative and environmentally sustainable livestock and irrigation value chains. The interventions are determined by gaps in knowledge, skills and attitudes of value chain actors and service providers to adopt and scale out value chain development approaches and interventions. The project uses individual and group methods to coach and mentor value chain actors and service providers. A good coaching and mentoring practice requires systematic planning, implementation, and review of processes, relationships and outcomes. This guide is meant to provide a structure and guidance for project and partner staff who are involved in coaching and mentoring of producer households and service providers to successfully introduce and adopt specific livestock and irrigation value chain development interventions