CORAF, via the West African Food System Resilience Program (FSRP), recently organised a financial management training workshop in Accra, Ghana, from 23 to 25 August 2023. The event brought together thirty participants, including accountants, technology park managers and commissioned project sub-contract managers, from several FSRP organisations and countries. The aim was to strengthen their financial management skills to ensure effective use of the funds allocated to these crucial initiatives.
The workshop was structured around several crucial stages, including:
- Overview of the FSRP and Technology Parks: Participants were able to gain an overview of the West Africa Food System Resilience Program and understand the vital role of Technology Parks in achieving its objectives.
- Fiduciary Management of the FSRP Program: The financial and fiduciary management of the FSRP was at the heart of the discussions. Topics covered included financial reporting, disbursement procedures and justification of expenditure.
- Internal control: Participants also had the opportunity to explore best practice in internal control, ensuring transparent and efficient use of funds.
- CORAF and World Bank procurement procedures: Procurement procedures, essential for project implementation, were examined in detail.
This financial management training workshop is crucial to the effective implementation of FSRP projects, and will help to build the capacity of key players in the transparent and efficient management of financial resources.
As a reminder, sub-component 2.1 of the West Africa Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) aims to promote access to and exchange of agricultural technologies. In the context of the FSRP, which aims to strengthen the resilience of the food system in West Africa, the appropriate management of funds is crucial to achieving tangible progress.
The workshop ended on 25 August 2023, with a closing ceremony chaired by Ms Safouratou ADARIPARE, Director of Corporate Services at CORAF. She recalled the importance of fiduciary management in the partnership with the countries and encouraged the participants to work in close collaboration with the CORAF focal points for an efficient management of the funds.