The Bavarian-African FAMFISK project shows how international exchanges strengthen the establishment of agricultural machinery cooperatives in Senegal and Kenya. More than 800 participants benefited from training courses and joint development projects. The closing ceremony at the University of Weihenstephan-Triesdorf highlighted their lasting impact.
At the closing ceremony of the FAMFISK (Fostering Agricultural Machinery & Food Technology in Senegal & Kenya) project at the University of Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT), partners from Bavaria, Senegal and Kenya came together to present the joint results of the project and give an overview of the activities implemented. FAMFISK is funded by the Bavarian State Chancellery and will run until February 2026.
Qualification and networks as key elements
The project started in March 2024 as a joint project between the University of Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT), the Maschinenring Foundation gGmbH (MRF) and the Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft gGmbH. International partners include the University of Sine Saloum El-Hâdj Ibra-hima NIASS in Senegal, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology in Kenya, and machine rings in Senegal and Kenya.
The aim of the project is to support the establishment of machinery rings in Senegal and Kenya through training and exchange formats and the creation of networks. There are currently around 300 machinery rings in Senegal and Kenya. The project focuses on close cooperation between universities and practical partners in order to strengthen the link between vocational training and higher education. The Bavarian stakeholders are pooling their expertise and creating synergies. The project makes an important contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 4 (quality education) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth).
Presentation of the main project activities and practical examples
Guests from the Bavarian State Chancellery, ministries and research, the Kenyan Embassy in Berlin, as well as project partners and other institutions attended the closing ceremony.
The event offered the approximately 30 participants a comprehensive overview of the main project activities. These included the summer and winter programmes, partial qualification programmes on the topics of mechanisation/machine maintenance and value chain optimisation, tandem formats for students, and internships and practical placements in close cooperation with agricultural machinery cooperatives in Senegal and Kenya.
One example of a student project implementation is the development of additional sowing discs for an existing seed drill. This now enables local farmers to sow not only maize but also other crops, including groundnuts, millet and sesame, with a single machine. The sowing discs have already been successfully tested by farmers in Senegal.
Delegation visit from 26 to 30 January 2026
The closing ceremony took place as part of a visit by a delegation of all project partners from 26 to 30 January 2026 to the University of Weihenstephan-Triesdorf. In addition to the closing ceremony, the week-long visit included several technical meetings and exchange formats, including an evaluation workshop at HSWT and visits with technical exchanges at MRF and HORSCH Maschinen GmbH.
All project partners would like to express their sincere thanks to the Bavarian State Chancellery for its excellent cooperation and support for the project. All project activities were accompanied by intensive public relations work.