Aquaculture Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training for Improved Private Sector and Smallholder Skills (AQ TEVET): Project Brief on Lessons Learned and Best Practices of the AQ TEVET Project

Abstract

The AQ TEVET project was a complex initiative that was made even more challenging by the restrictions of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021. The results from the 3-year 10 months initiative demonstrate that the AQ TEVET scaling model of upgrading the curriculum to ensure graduates from TEVET institutions have the knowledge and practical skills that meet the needs of the aquaculture private sector value chain. The initiative has also shown that working through private sector service providers (SMEs and large companies) to provide inputs, markets, extension services, and training to smallholder farmers is viable and scalable. By design, the allocated implementation period is considered too short to attain the goal to "increase the number of human resources working for the private sector, and the number of smallholder commercial fish farmers with enhanced aquaculture knowledge and up-to-date practical skills to help sustainably grow the sector and make it more inclusive." Overall, the project was quite successful and valuable lessons have been learned regarding realistic time frames for projects that entail upgrading curriculum, capacity building and scaling. Useful lessons have been learned on gender equity and working with SMEs already on the ground in rural areas and large companies. Although the lessons learned are specific to the AQ TEVET project context, they have been documented and disseminated to share ideas on how others working on similar projects can improve processes, performance and decision making. Some of the lessons can inform future projects of similar design and replicate success or avoid falling into similar mistakes.