The program prioritized capacity building of researchers and extension practitioners as shown by the number of people who got enrolled at different levels to improve their academic and professional qualifications so as to enhance implementation effectiveness and efficiency. This was also done with an ultimate aim to improve the capacity of young researchers in the areas of agricultural economics and plant science in an effort to build Eastern and Southern African national agriculture research and development capacity.

SIMLESA supported graduate and non-degree training of early and mid-career scientists leading to 65 postgraduate students who studied in Australia, and African universities (23 of them being PhDs). As a result, these efforts strengthened scientific exchange between African universities and those in Australia and elsewhere