The training course 'Water, Soil, and Crop Management in a Climate-Smart Agriculture' started on 11th December at CIHEAM Bari and is addressed to 15 representatives of universities and local authorities from Kenya, Ethiopia and Egypt, along with five other participants from Sudan who were selected by the partners of the WATDEV Project - Climate Smart Water Management and Sustainable Development for Food and Agriculture in East Africa -, funded by the European Union's DeSIRA initiative.

The objective of this project is to enhance the resilience of populations to climate change by developing a comprehensive understanding of water and agricultural resource dynamics and management at both small and large scales. This will be achieved through innovative research, modelling, and capacity building approaches. For more information, please visit www.watdev.eu.

The first module of the course will focus on Best Management Practice principles and innovations and is scheduled to take place from 11 to 16 December 2023. The main aim of this training and capacity-building initiative is to enable local actors to implement agricultural practices selected as best management practices (BPMs) and innovations effectively in their territories and communities.

The twenty beneficiaries from the study areas will be able to transfer their newly acquired knowledge and techniques to the farming community, local authorities and other relevant actors. The participants of the event includes young researchers, civil servants, and young innovators who are involved in BMP implementation and innovation projects in the study areas. Additionally, the event is attended by other professionals, such as soil scientists, geneticists, agronomists, engineers, and officials.