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This practitioner reflection reports on 30 years of training agroecological farmers in various African contexts. It argues that good theory should be drawn out of good practice, to help farmers to adapt to climate change while producing nourishing food sustainably. Currently, training is often provided by agribusinesses with an interest in promoting the use of their inputs, rather than concentrating on empowering farmers to develop environmentally sound farming systems using locally available resources. Three organic training systems are examined. On-farm systems exposed trainees to farm management and marketing, but not in their familiar context. Training on-site at community gardens was effective only when there was good mentorship and project support. In a university diploma context, 18 months of theory with regular practical activities prepared students for a year of on-farm practical learning. This was supported by guided reflection, and followed by 6 months back in the classroom, integrating theory and practice. In all three systems, learners were challenged with practical activities, after which theory was developed. Organic systems were found to help learners to use locally available resources, especially water, more efficiently. Exposure to good practice, and guided reflection on this, helped learner farmers to understand and integrate good theory into their practice, while practical challenges helped learners to understand what theory means, and how it should be adapted to the local context.