Hello, who are you?

I’m Julia Cruz Pineda. I have worked in the Directorate of Agricultural Science and Technology (DICTA) since 2001 in different technical positions. Since 2010, I am Head of the Training Unit, within the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, of supporting programs, projects and technical units of DICTA in the design, coordination, management and execution of activities for strengthening capacities of staff and producers at national level. Since August 2016, after the workshop for national facilitators, I started to work with CDAIS as national facilitator of the bean niche.

What are your roles and responsibilities as National Innovation Facilitator?

Among my responsibilities, I plan the program of activities carried out in the niche. My role includes the preparation and facilitation of scheduled meetings, resource management for the implementation of activities, and the documentation of activities through reports and photographs. So far in the niche, a coaching plan for capacity development has been defined, and I will accompany the capacity development in the niche.

What has CDAIS changed for you?

CDAIS has changed my way of facilitation. I have learned that the facilitator should guide the construction of knowledge in interaction with participants; that we should work together and take advantage of everyone’s experiences to create new knowledge and new realities; that new knowledge then become a resource or tool to achieve the changes they want to achieve in their projects, their organizations and their communities. I have learnt what my role is as a facilitator; and that I must have skills, attitudes and knowledge that allow me to support the niche in the achievement of its objectives. I have also learnt how to guide change-oriented processes and to search for opportunities within the value-chain in which they are articulated, in order to develop individual and collective capacities in the interest of continuous improvement of the actors involved. I have learnt that as a facilitator I must detect which are the capacities to be strengthened according to the specific needs of a group to carry out my work more effectively. I am currently very motivated to do my job and am aware that I must have an attitude of continuous improvement in my daily interaction with actors of the niche.