The purpose of the study trip was for the African trainers to get to know each other and to network, but also for them to discover German agriculture and association work on agricultural policy. A varied programme was organised for the visit of the trainers who had come from Africa. Then, on Sunday 25.09.22, they were able to introduce themselves and exchange before the actual programme started the following morning.
Monday 26.09.2022
After being welcomed Dr. Andreas Quiring, Managing Director of Andreas Hermes Akademie, who then presented AHA’s work in Africa, we took the shuttle together to Alsenz to visit Hofgut Neumühle, where Jason Hayer, Manager at Hofgut Neumühle, gave us a tour of the research-based dairy farm. As some of the African trainers are farmers themselves, they were very interested in the research presented and questioned Dr. Hayer in detail.
After lunch, the shuttle took us to Weierhof to the “Weierhöfer Gartengemüse“. There, young entrepreneurs Ofreas Fischer and Sarah Knapp explained to us how the two of them grow almost 35 different types of vegetables and sell them in 250 vegetable crates per week to the people in the surrounding area. This farming business was particularly interesting for some of the trainers, as they themselves grow vegetables in their home countries and were able to exchange experiences, tips and tricks with each other.
We then made our way to the Jennewein Monastry mill, which is run by the Jennewein family both as an agricultural business and as a seminar venue with restaurant. Both mother Claudia Jennewein and son David Bermudez are long-time AHA trainers. They gave us an insight into their career and their journey to reach AHA, as well as their experience of how their own farms changed hands. At the end, we ate together and trainers could witness the diverse possibilities created by an agricultural business.
Tuesday 27.09.2022
The next morning, after breakfast, we drove to the Rhineland-Palatinate Chamber of Agriculture in Bad Kreuznach. After a short talk on advising and training in agriculture, the Chamber of Agriculture answered our trainers’ questions. After lunch at the Taunus conference hotel, our group visited the Hessischen Bauernverband e.V. in Friedrichsdorf. We listened to a talk on associations and agricultural policy and again a lively and interested Q&A session ensued. After a full programme day, we returned to Eschborn, where we had dinner together and the African trainers met the first German trainers who had arrived and they all enjoyed getting to know one another. Then, over the next two days, we held our annual autumn trainer days. It was a successful get-together – an enjoyable experience and intercultural exchange. Read more about the AHA autumn 2022 trainer days here.
