Strategic planning with a production chain approach to identify training needs in the agrifood sector

Objective: to generate a strategic plan, with a production chain approach, that allows identifying the training needs in the agrifood sector in Quintana Roo. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: the study was developed in three methodological stages 1) A workshop to explore the training needs through participatory action, in order to obtain a relational framework of those institutions in the sector in which the trainees interact, aiming to identify and prioritize the training needs in a double-entry matrix; 2) Design of the training program, using as input the needs identified in the exploratory workshop; 3) Implementation of the training, with an ex ante and ex post evaluation of each topic to verify that the training was effective. Results: the main problems detected were marketing (28.8%), production (25.9%), supply of inputs and services (25.3%), transformation (12.2%), and consumption (7.1%). Likewise, a relational framework of 25 institutions that provide support to the different links identified in the production chain. The median of achievement (correct scores) before training was 8.92, and 10.81afterwards. Limitations/ Implications of the study: the capacity of the course was limited by the available resources, both facilities and financial. However, it is important to implement a mixed modality to reach a greater number of people. Findings/ Conclusions: strategic planning with a production chain approach is a useful tool to focus ad hoc training needs, since 70.9% of professionals improved their skills on crops of interest.