NUCAFE
Deliverables
Innovative training videos. We designed a curriculum containing 45 training videos within five categories: agronomical practices, post-harvest handling, value addition, access to finance, and family business management and succession planning.
Training Toolkit. This deliverable consists of a curriculum framework, video training guide, and two assessments, one baseline survey and one post survey. The new curriculum framework provides NUCAFE with a guide to participatory learning and problem-solving methods that NUCAFE can use to foster entrepreneurial leadership with local farmers and co-op leaders within its network. The assessment tools help NUCAFE determine the efficacy of its trainings. These tools can be used for conventional trainings as well as the newly-designed video and entrepreneurship curriculums.
Organizational Structure of NUCAFE. We developed a Human Resources guide that highlights the key positions and structure needed to replicate NUCAFE’s model, including both upper management positions of NUCAFE and the management structure of farmer groups.
Website UX redesign. NUCAFE’s new website will more effectively communicate its mission and depth of impact on farmers’ lives.
This deliverable contains a curriculum framework and assessment tools. The new framework provides NUCAFE with a guide to participatory learning and problem-solving methods. With this, NUCAFE can foster entrepreneurial leadership with local farmers and co-op leaders within its network. The assessment tools help NUCAFE determine the efficacy of its trainings. These tools can be used for conventional trainings as well as the newly-designed video and entrepreneurship curriculums.
Mission
Establish a sustainable market-driven system of coffee enterprises and organizations to increase household income through enhanced entrepreneurship and innovation.
Challenge
Create tools to scale NUCAFE’s impact through its farmer training program.
Research Activities
NUCAFE’s coffee farmers struggle to access the full array of training resources to prosper. To remedy this problem, we conducted research with seven coffee cooperatives and two congregations of Catholic Sisters in rural Uganda. We observed five training lectures, and interacted with over 100 farmers through group interviews, focus groups, and co-creating training videos with cooperatives. For the second phase, to evaluate proposed innovations, we consulted and collaborated with three leading cooperatives and the Reparatrix Sisters.
Key Findings:
- Video-based trainings effectively engage farmers. Farmers were highly engaged when viewing training videos relative to lecture-only sessions. Video trainings prompted farmers to provide valuable feedback on topics, and to identify new topics they wanted to see in the videos.
- Learning assessments can help NUCAFE understand the impact of trainings, and communicate impact. NUCAFE would greatly benefit from assessment tools to identify and communicate the impact of its trainings, which would in turn strengthen conversations with impact investors.
- Innovations in digital communication can enhance NUCAFE’s mission. Examples include a more effective web-based platform, training videos, and a curriculum and assessment tool to allow NUCAFE to effectively convey its value to multiple stakeholders.
