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CONSULTANTS IN LEARNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING - EFFECTIVE LEARNING - THE WAY OUT OF POVERTY

What is ZFA main focus while working with the organizations?
What are ZFA areas of expertise?
What is the ZFA Approach?

ZFA main focus is to work in collaboration with its clients to strengthen the abilities of local professionals to lead and manage learning and capacity building activities based on the needs of the organization in terms of:

 

  1. total integration to bring coherence among its strategies, structures, system and culture

  2. external integration which identifies linkages between and among different organizations involving other actors that contribute to agricultural innovation

  3. strategic integration to bring alignment between the organization´s strategic objectives and its human talents to achieve effective performance, and

  4. internal integration to bring coherence among the four components of a human talents management and development system (HTMDS). This involves: human talents planning, performance assessment, performance rewards and learning and capacity building.

 

To respond to an organization’s needs the L&CB activities should:

 

  • identify learning needs

  • prepare a master plan for future activities

  • develop curricula and appropriate learning modules or learning plans

  • implement, monitor and evaluate learning events – workshops, seminars, study tours, internships, e-learning programs, etc.

  • conduct impact evaluation of learning programs.

ZFA provides clients with opportunities to develop knowledge, attitudes and skills related to:
Strengthening the organization’s role through

 

  • developing human talents through a strategic management and development plan aligned with the organization’s long-term strategic objectives, values and principles

  • learning about innovation and innovation systems: concepts, principles, management and implications

  • developing systemic and shared visioning towards the future to respond to the global scenario

  • creating strategies to link innovation to organizational goals and objectives – strategic alignment

  • building and managing strategic partnerships, consortia, networks, interaction at all levels, and governance

  • developing leadership for innovation and innovation systems

 

Strengthening cross-cutting areas through

 

  • communication and public awareness

  • writing convincing proposals for fundraising

  • planning, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, including a “theory of change” approach

  • gender analysis and related issues

  • strengthening creativity in the workplace

  • developing mentoring and coaching skills

  • building cross-functional or interdisciplinary teams

The ZFA Approach Is based on experiential learning theory and the principles of adult education, and is participatory by design.

 

It is learner-centered: active experience is followed by a period of reviewing, reflecting and applying what has been learnt through the experience.

 

Follow-up is integral to the ZFA approach. ZFA works with clients to design Participant or Team Action Plans to reinforce the application of new learning and ensure the development of a learning organization
ABOUT US

In 2007, after 18 years as senior research fellow leading the learning and capacity building programs of three CGIAR international centers, Dr. Zenete Peixoto França created Zenete França and Associates (ZFA), a network of specialists - from Africa, Latin America and Asia - who had worked together in collaboration with the CGIAR centers for many years. Based in Portugal, ZFA promised to continue working to strengthen Learning and Capacity Building (L&CB) within agricultural organizations around the world.

WHAT DOES ZFA OFFER ITS CLIENTS

To ensure the successful continuation of learning activities in client organizations, ZFA provides

  • master copies of all learning materials produced during the assignment for future use by the client

  • CD-ROMs containing the learning modules generated during the assignment for distribution to participants

  • a report on the assignment to record results

  • guidelines for the Participant or Team Action Plan – equipping the organization with follow-up instruments.

WHO ARE THE ASSOCIATES?

The ZFA network includes professionals from Africa, Latin America, Asia and Pacific and from developed countries. They work mainly in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

All ZFA Associates have hands-on experience in learning and capacity building activities around the world. They hold senior positions in research institutes, universities and the private sector in developing countries. This approach guarantees their continuing learning and establishes linkages between organizations. ZFA contributes directly to South-South collaboration

WHAT HAVE ZENETE FRANÇA AND ASSOCIATES ACHIEVED?

In the past, Zenete França, as a CGIAR senior researcher, was responsible for leading numerous learning and capacity building needs assessments, development of master plans for learning (including e-learning programs), and learning modules (in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese) as well as workshop reports, CD-ROMs, videos, posters, etc. for clients in developing countries under the auspices of IWMI, ISNAR and IFPRI.

 

Since its foundation in 2007, ZFA has continued to perform the same functions and produced a series of learning materials under international programs or projects.

 

Samples of a range of learning materials produced by ZFA in collaboration with related organizations are presented in the section titled "Assignment Results".

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