TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PERSONNEL : THE HONDURAS EXPERIENCE

This report outlines and analyzes a training program designed and used by Oklahoma State University in the Small Farmer Credit Project to train personnel at the National Agricultural Development Bank of Honduras. Based on criticisms of earlier training programs, it was decided that participation and practical exercises should be stressed; courses should be limited to 30 participants and should not exceed one week; subject matter should clearly relate to Bank and employee needs; and ample material should be on hand to ensure adequate coverage in rapidly taught courses. Timing of the courses was constrained by the need to first develop and test the methodologies to be institutionalized. The subject matter was organized into two courses focusing on traditional farm management. The first course covered such topics as the concept of fixed and variable costs, synthesis of enterprise budgets, and the use of budgets in farm financial analysis. Graduates of the first course were offered a second course which covered the same topics on a deeper level and included basic economic concepts. Follow-up sessions pertaining to specific questions which arose during either course were conducted. A one-day seminar on preparing farm records was also offered. Loan officers and credit analysts were targeted due to their direct contact with loan recipients and their general inadequacy in economics, accounting, and finance. The report recommended that future programs: (1) include managerial personnel from the outset; (2) schedule courses and confirm attendance far in advance; (3) not plan courses back-to-back; (4) have more complete syllabi; (5) eliminate coverage of cash flow and present value and place greater emphasis on livestock analysis and partial budgeting; and (6) use more thoroughly developed teaching methodologies. Outlines and selected materials from the two courses and sample forms from the farm records training course are appended.