March 2013​

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Building on the successes of the two previous UK Government funded projects in Bosnia; this project was designed to further improve skills and collaboration among the ministries responsible for rural development (State level, Republic of Srpska, Federation and Brčko District) to ensure delivery of rural development accession obligations.

Component 1 – Training: A programme for state and entity institutions with focus on the Instruments for Pre-Accession Rural Development (IPARD) and accession requirements.  The Training commenced with an Assessment to identify the key officials with responsibility for delivery of key accession obligations and their Training Needs. The project set its skills baseline using a tailored competency based training needs analysis (TNA) framework. The assessment was agreed with senior decision makers, to ensure that those to receive training are clearly identified and have support to complete the training.  The project then delivered two programmes:

• Intensive training for key staff, focused on:

1. Module 1: Strategy development essentials, tools and techniques, the importance of evidence, sources and quality assurance, approaches to analysis, survey design.

2. Module 2: Stakeholder involvement, consultation approaches, publicity & communication in strategy development

3. Module 3: Strategy monitoring, evaluation, review and roll forward

d.         Review and feedback – the degree to which training has been embedded and trainees are progressing was measured using a Kirkpatrick skills evaluation methodology.

• Awareness raising training: One module to cover the above topics for wider stakeholders;

Component 2 – Coaching & mentoring: 

• All those attending the training will be asked to sign up for follow up activities structured around a coaching and mentoring programme.

Component 3 – Delivery of Key Strategic documents – focused on the development of deliverable harmonised Rural Development measures in RS, Federation and BD

Component 4 – Communication and collaboration practice among ministries strengthened.

• The establishment of an Action Learning Set: A group is proposed for the key RD practitioners to work together on practical “real life” RD problems; which participants will bring to the group. Typically such groups work best with external facilitation and the project will support its set up and meetings during 2011/12. The sessions offered an opportunity for trainees to demonstrate how the learnt skills are being applied in their everyday work.

• Improved RD state-level and inter-entity networking:

• Reviewed effectiveness of Rural Development Working Group and worked with Mofter to develop new structure.

• RD practitioners’ network, assessment of needs and opportunities which we will review in the light of the Action Learning Set