Climate-smart agriculture practices are crucial for developing resilient agricultural systems that can adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. A top priority is the urgent need to speed up the restoration and maintenance of soil productivity and ecosystem functions. This must be done while also using soil health management to promote gender equality. It is important to recognize the connections between soil health and gender equality and to identify gender-based constraints, opportunities, and potential unintended consequences when promoting soil management technologies.

The training program aims to strengthen the comprehensive knowledge and practical skills of agricultural professionals from Central, Eastern and Southern Africa on climate-smart agriculture, soil health, and fertility management while integrating advanced monitoring techniques, policy advocacy, and gender considerations to effectively promote sustainable agricultural practices at both national and regional levels.

The specific objectives are: 

1. Fundamentals of Climate-Smart Agriculture: Provide participants with a solid grounding in the fundamental concepts of Climate-Smart Agriculture.
2. Skills in Soil Health and Fertility Mapping: Equip participants with the skills necessary for soil health and fertility mapping, monitoring, and integrated management approaches tailored to different agroecological regions.
3. Advanced Techniques in Soil Monitoring: Train participants in geospatial soil mapping techniques and the use of AI and machine learning for advanced soil health monitoring.
4. Policy and Gender Integration: Facilitate discussions on policy and gender integration to scale climate-smart agriculture practices and soil health management into national and regional agricultural policies supported by appropriate legislation and funding mechanisms.

The training will employ a participatory and interactive approach, combining theoretical lectures, group discussions, and multimedia resources across various media channels. Sessions will be facilitated by experts in CSA, soil management, soil health monitoring, gender mainstreaming, environmental and natural resource management, and geospatial soil mapping using AI and machine learning. Integrating gender mainstreaming and policy-influencing dialogue will ensure all participants' comprehensive and hands-on learning experience.

The training event is an in-person gathering and is by invitation only. Although there won't be a virtual platform for the training, organizing partners will actively engage on social media during and after the meeting.