Reverse Linkage

24 REVERSE LINKAGE experience, training and technology transfer, an impact assessment questionnaire was conducted, where 81 per cent of the respondents believed that BADEA’s technical assistance programme had contributed effectively to the enhancement of socio-economic development in African countries. Moreover, the performance indicators have also revealed that more effort needs to be exerted by BADEA to synchronise its technical assistance support with the priori- ties of the beneficiary countries. Although, compared to best practice in this field, the performance indicators of the technical assistance activi- ties reflect satisfactory handling of the recipient requests, BADEA is revising its technical assistance provision. This encompasses enhancing BADEA’s awareness of the nature of African capacity building required for realising their strat- egies. Efforts are also under way to monitor the technical assistance operation’s cycle in a fashion similar to the project cycle. Also, special attention will be made to cover all stages of the operation from identification to post-evaluation. Furthermore, arrangements are being made to augment the timely communication with the executing bodies in the recipient countries to resolve the problems impeding the timely implementation of the technical assistance activities. As for capacity building operations, a new definition will be adopted to include institutional, organisational and individual activities. BADEA will also enlarge its utilisation of private sector training institutions in Arab countries in implementing its capacity building programme in African recipient countries. This is expected to impact favourably Agro Products Processing and Marketing in Senegal – women’s empowerment through income-generating activities BADEA partnered with the Islamic Development Bank, the Arab Center for Training and Research, Cawtar , and the Association of West Africa to conduct a capacity building programme as part of its technical assistance in 2015 to the rural areas of Senegal – Kaollack, Louga and Fatrik. The training targeted 120 rural women as primary beneficiaries, more than 600 rural women as secondary beneficiaries, and around 1,200 families as tertiary beneficiaries. The main objective of the programme was to raise the efficiency of women in agro product processing and marketing to economically empower them by develop- ing their knowledge and productivity and improving their marketing skills. On completion of the programme, the beneficiary women were able to process and add value to their agro products using their newly learned production skills. They were also able to enter new markets and, using their new marketing skills, were able to market their products and create a sustainable competi- tive advantage for their small projects. Furthermore, they became aware of their economic rights as well as further opportunities and the value of their role in community participation. Overall, the programme was able to add a sustain- able value to the agro products of the women of rural Senegal. Agro products processing training in Senegal Image: BADEA