The WoodCluster project (2017-2021) focused on national bio-economies based on farm wood production in East African Countries. The project consortium was a South-South-North network with partners from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Germany. In the project, the dynamics and resulting problems of an increasing wood supply gap, and possible solutions were investigated. The project had two main components: research and teaching. As an output of the teaching component, this trainer manual was developed for wood-based value chain actors in Ethiopia. This trainer manual aims to combine the theory of value chain development with participatory teaching methods and integrate this approach into extensions services linked to wood-based value chain actors in Ethiopia, thereby supporting their sustainable development. It especially intends to provide these trainers with insights into value chain development (VCD) tools and participatory knowledge transfer methods. The focus will be on participatory VCD approaches relevant to wood-based value chain actors. With the trainer manual, officers and trainers will be able to apply participatory VCD trainings to wood-based value chain actors in a Training of Trainers (ToT) session. Since these value chains and actors can vary depending on the regional setting, the raw material or end-product of interest, the defined scope, or the value chain development goals, the ToT will teach several approaches on the basis of which the officers and trainers can design suitable participatory VCD workshops. The trainer manual serves as a reference guide for trainers, who conduct participatory trainings, and extension agents linked to wood-based value chains in Ethiopia. The manual is constructed and arranged in such a way, so that a wide range of trainers with different skill levels and capacities may apply the participatory training in different conditions. Rather than presenting one appropriate teaching method, the manual presents several that allows the trainer to adapt the overall training approach based on the target group and conditions of the training.

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