CIAT Bean is strengthening its internal capacity to use, support, and share knowledge of the Enterprise Breeding System (EBS) through a virtual Train-the-Trainer program held from August 24 to September 4, 2026. The two-week program brought together 13 participants from five countries across Latin America and Africa, providing staff with practical EBS skills that can be applied within their breeding activities and shared with colleagues across CIAT crop teams.
The program brought together staff involved in bean breeding and data management and connected EBS functions with practical breeding activities. Through demonstrations, discussion, and hands-on exercises, participants gained experience they can continue to apply and share within their teams.
Building Practical EBS Skills
Participants worked with key EBS activities including germplasm and inventory management, experiment creation, crossing, data collection, harvest, phenotypic data management, and analysis.
The practical sessions gave participants opportunities to create and work with breeding trials, experiments, and lists while discussing questions and addressing issues encountered during the exercises. This approach helped connect the use of EBS with activities participants are expected to carry out in their own breeding programs.
The training also introduced how EBS works with tools such as FieldBook and Bioflow, helping participants understand their role within the broader breeding data process.
Building Capacity Within CIAT
The value of the Train-the-Trainer program extends beyond the scheduled sessions. Participants are being prepared to apply their EBS knowledge within their own teams, support colleagues, and contribute to future training as additional users begin working with the system.
This helps build EBS knowledge within CIAT’s crop programs rather than concentrating that knowledge within a single group of trained users. As participants gain experience, they can share practical knowledge, help colleagues address common questions, and contribute to continued learning within their teams.
The learning process also continues after the formal training. Participants have access to training materials, videos, user guidance, and a channel for questions and discussion. They can continue to seek clarification and support as they gain experience using EBS in their work.
Extending EBS Capacity Across CIAT Crops
CIAT’s multi-crop environment includes breeding programs with different activities, materials, data requirements, and ways of working. Developing internal EBS trainers within these programs provides an opportunity to build knowledge that is relevant to each crop while strengthening a shared understanding of EBS across CIAT.
The next step is to extend this approach beyond the initial training group. As participants apply EBS in their regular work, they can support new users, share practical experience, and contribute to additional training within their crop teams.
The CIAT Bean Train-the-Trainer program provides a foundation for continued internal capacity building. By developing staff who can use EBS, support colleagues, share knowledge, and train others, CIAT can build a growing network of internal EBS capability across its crop programs.