Before starting to design an agroforestry training course, it is vitally important to understand the context in which the training will be carried out. This means gathering and analysing information about internal factors (e.g. organization of the institution, systems and structures, existing courses, human and physical resources, etc.) and external factors (e.g. relevant training policies, government policies, social and economic issues, environmental factors, agroforestry systems, existing or needed technologies, etc.). A lot of information might already be available from literature, previous research, community-based activities (for example from Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) or Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) exercises which have led to the establishment of community development plans), and also from key informants such as policy makers, field staff, experienced trainers and of course community members themselves. In addition to this, however, it is almost always advisable to carry out a Training Needs Analysis.