The Rainforest Alliance, an international non-profit organization working to create a world where people and nature thrive together has organised a five-day training for 10 members of the Associate Trainers Network (ATNs) of Ghana in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region.

The ATNs are a group of expert trainers who have been engaged by the certification team of the organisation to provide specialised training to farmers participating in the Rainforest Alliance’s certification program.

They have thus, been engaged by the organisation to provide additional services such as training and certification support, internal management service setup and documentation, and farmer training as well as help in the effort to promote sustainable practices and conservation in the cocoa sector.

They are individuals who already have a specialty in training, coaching, and motivating farmers on profitable and sustainable farming practices. This is why they have been engaged by the organisation to support the certification team to train farmers and other Certificate Holders (CHs) on the new standards of the Rainforest Alliance’s certificate program.

Speaking at the training, the Manager for Certification Partner Support at the Rainforest Alliance, Leslie Adwoa Agyapong, explained that even though the training for ATNs is an annual activity of the Certification Team of the organisation, this year’s training was very crucial because it centred on improving the skills of ATNs in the area of training methodologies, an area that is very essential for ensuring the success of the latest standards introduced by the Rainforest Alliance.

She, therefore, urged the participants to be good ambassadors of the Rainforest Alliance by ensuring that farmers understood and adhered to the latest requirements in the standards set by the organisation.

She also used the opportunity to encourage the general public especially farmer and producer groups as well as Rainforest Alliance Certificate Holders to continue to patronise the services of the ATNs since they were as well trained and equipped as the staff of the organisation themselves, in the updated certification standards of the organisation.

Joseph Yaw Mensah, the Senior Associate for Training and Certification at the Rainforest Alliance also explained that associate trainers have a momentous task of inspiring Certificate Holders and partners by being able to respond to their needs efficiently and effectively.

"This was why a Training Methodologies Course had been introduced to newly recruited associate trainers in Ghana to help build their capacity with a particular focus on competencies", he explained.

The training focused on areas such as setting competencies on knowledge, skills, and attitude, designing learning objectives to bridge gaps in competencies, distinguishing learning styles, differentiating participatory training methods, management of group dynamics, and effective communication.

About the Rainforest Alliance’s certification program

The Unified Rainforest Alliance 2020 certification program enables farmers to conduct better farming practices, improve working conditions and take better care of their children while protecting the environment, respecting labour rights, and using natural resources of the earth sustainably.

Therefore, if an organisation is part of the supply chain of certified products, then labeling its products (coffee, cocoa, tea, nuts, fruits, and vegetables) as RA 2020-certified will attract more socially responsible buyers, retailers, and consumers.

Consumers are increasingly demanding to know where their products come from and that they are obtained responsibly. Joining an internationally recognised certification scheme, such as RA 2020 program, demonstrates to customers an organization’s commitment to both people and the environment and helps create a world where sustainable agriculture is the norm.

A certificate Holder (CH) refers to any organization that is, was, or wants to be certified in any Rainforest Alliance certification program. This is at the certification option level and includes all actors (for example sites, farmers, intermediaries, etc.) falling under the certification scope of the CH.

Currently, in Ghana, there are 211 producer groups registered with the RA 2020 certification program.

These are the entities that benefit from the continuous training usually provided by the Rainforest Certification Team members assisted by the Associate Trainer Network (ATN) members.