Most of the United Nations staff covered by this note work in remote, volatile areas and have limited access to face‐to‐face learning opportunities. The learning needs of these humanitarian workers have become increasingly diverse and dynamic. The use of webinars as a tool to address such needs has grown, but such use remains to be systematized and documented. The relatively flexible format of webinars, alongside their versatility and facilitation of formal and informal learning exchange, has encouraged trainers to adopt them as key components of both stand‐alone and blended learning events. This paper provides brief description of eight case studies which show different use of webinars in blended learning solutions. What emerges from the analysis is that the webinar tool enables a meaningful learning experience in the context of blended learning approaches, and that it is particularly suitable to addressing the learning needs of humanitarian workers related to specific phases, or moments, in their work‐learn continuum. This note is a first step toward an appropriate and generalizable model for using webinars in a way that meets the needs of the humanitarian sector at large. Such a model also may be applicable more widely, particularly where there are similar challenges to learning.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) utilizes training as a major component of the support it provides to its member countries in Africa. In the past, standalone training events targeting individual actors were the norm. However, an external evaluation indicated that this type of training scores low in terms of sustainability. The FAO has recently adopted a more sustainable approach to training and learning as part of its new corporate approach to capacity development. Drawing on four recent experiences implemented in Africa from 2010 to 2014, this paper discusses the concept of training sustainability as adopted in the FAO's operations, looking at the extent to which both learning results and processes are transferred to country and/or regional organizations. Lessons learned are presented for consideration in the design and delivery of future learning activities in Africa.r Cecilia de Rosa is Capacity Development Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.