Several academics, leaders of agricultural associations, agricultural researchers and consultants participated in a training program to become innovation facilitators for the CDAIS project, or Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems, in Honduras and Guatemala. The training took place during a workshop held in Santa Rosa de Copán (Honduras), on 21-27 August 2016. 

Facilitators (11 from Guatemala and 11 from Honduras) were trained to assess capacity needs in selected innovation niches, namely coffee and potatoes in Honduras, honey and avocados in Guatemala, and beans and cocoa in both countries. Their analysis will focus on the various organizations and institutions that are considered pivotal for the development of the niches. The assessment will then allow for more tailored interventions to strengthen capacities at institutional (the so-called "enabling environment"), organizational and individual level. 

On the third day of the workshop, participants visited the Capucas Coffee Cooperative. With more than 400 members and nearly 1,700 acres of land, Capucas aims to benefit producers by opening up new markets and achieving better prices for the coffee. In 2012, when the spread of la roya, or coffee rust, hit hard coffee producers, Capucas introduced many innovations, like the organic farming certification, allowing farmers to sell more efficiently in international markets, where prices are substantially higher. 

The next workshop to train innovation facilitators will take place in Rwanda, one of the four African countries where the CDAIS project is applying concepts and principles of the TAP Common Framework.

With funds from the European Union,  AGRINATURA and FAO are implementing CDAIS, a global initiative in support of more productive and sustainable agricultural sectors. CDAIS is set to benefit small farmers, agri-business and consumers by helping countries strengthening their Agricultural Innovation Systems. 

The eight CDAIS pilot countries are Angola, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Laos and Rwanda.