Evaluating the outcome of the Training of Trainers Programme executed using the Farm Business School Approach in Sri Lanka

This study evaluates the outcomes of the Training of Trainers (ToT) Programme conducted for the Farm Business School under the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) funded by the World Bank. The study was carried out across six provinces in Sri Lanka including Eastern, North Central, North Western, Northern, Southern, and Uwa, covering eleven districts and 47 agricultural service centre ranges. The ToT programme was designed to train Agricultural Extension Officers (AEOs), who are responsible for delivering extension services and facilitating farmer training at the field level. A total of six training programmes were conducted in Sinhala and Tamil mediums. All 157 AEOs employed during the study period were included in the study and grouped according to the training sessions. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered before and after the training, covering 32 knowledge elements across five modules. The data were analysed using SPSS, applying descriptive and comparative methods to assess changes in knowledge levels. A performance index was also used to measure individual achievement. The findings show a significant improvement in knowledge levels, with mean scores increasing from 15.95 before training to 19.29 after training. This indicates that the ToT programme had a significant positive effect on enhancing the technical knowledge of AEOs. Overall, the results suggest that the ToT programme was effective in strengthening the capacity of extension officers, providing a useful basis for improving future training interventions under CSIAP.