Growing Knowledge & Building Partnerships

The Farmer to Farmer team would like to recognize all the hard work of the volunteers, staff and host organizations as we look back on the year. In 2010 (calendar year) we had 89 Farmer to Farmer volunteers travel to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua, Guyana, Ecuador, Jamaica, Brazil, and Bolivia! As we move into 2011, we are excited for even more volunteer assignments and more project success and accomplishments. Cheers to a very Happy New Year!

We are happy to share that Partners of the Americas' Farmer to Farmer Team, with the invaluable support of our volunteers and partner organizations, has arranged the donation of 100 new beehives to be shipped to Haiti. The donation will benefit the beekeepers collaborating with our apiculture project as well as others in the industry. The hive boxes will be assembled in Haiti and have several uses such as demonstration hives and for training purposes at local agriculture universities. Typical Haitian Apiary The donation also includes the frames, nails, and foundation for the hives. These activities will be managed by Makouti Agro Enterprise, a dynamic local agribusiness, key partner, and beneficiary of Partners' Farmer to Farmer Program in Haiti. The Haiti FTF Program provides hive box and equipment construction training, however due to widespread deforestation, the type of wood necessary for a quality, durable hive is not locally available nor is the right type of nail...

Whether it is Felices Fiestas, Happy Holidays, Jou konje Happy, Boas Festas or Joyeuses Fêtes, the holidays are a time to celebrate. During this season, we would like to thank all the dedicated volunteers, field staff, program collaborators, host organizations, funders and all the others who have made our Farmer to Farmer Program a success. Enjoy the season and best wishes for 2011! The Farmer to Farmer Team

Partners of the Americas' Farmer to Farmer volunteer, Dr. Obadiah Mugambi Njue, provided trainings and technical assistance in the areas of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and vegetable production in protected greenhouse environments. Information from Dr. Njue's Farmer to Farmer trip report: "Greenhouses can be a means to economically maintain optimum growing conditions at times of the year when production in the field is not conducive and when market prices for the vegetable crops are highest. Production practices need to carefully address the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). Food contamination can occur at any level of food handling, from production through transporting the product to the consumer. A GAPs program is a first step to ensure food safety. Production practices (both in greenhouses and in open fields) should emphasize on prevention of microbial contamination of farm produce during production and through post-harvest handling. Greenhouses visited ...

In collaboration with Partners of the Americas' A Ganar Program on the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Farmer to Farmer Program is sending veteran FTF Volunteer Tom Syverud, a specialist in organic production and outreach, to provide training to the farm managers and youth members of the Community Achievers Project (CAP) in St. Kitts. Through the " flexible assignments " in the FTF Program, it is possible for volunteers to assist local agriculture and environment organizations in many countries throughout the world. Check out the press release published on SKNList.com to read more about the upcoming visit!

Waterfall in San Jose de los Remates Farmer to Farmer volunteer, Alan Robinson recently traveled to Nicaragua to assess the feasibility and do the preliminary planning for rural community tourism in the municipality of San Jose de los Remates. This was the first community tourism assignment, as the Farmer to Farmer Program in Nicaragua has been working primarily on improving the dairy value chain. Rural Tourism (sometimes described as agritourism, rural community tourism, community-based ecotourism and adventure tourism) on a small scale is already quite common in Nicaragua, however not in San Jose de los Remates. The volunteer worked with the San Jose de los Remates Mayor's office and Tourism Association to help them put together tourism strategies and to make it clear that whatever programs they develop they will be in competition with other rural tourism in Nicaragua and to some extent in neighboring countries like Honduras and Costa Rica. It was discussed that to be compe...

Two of Partners' Farmer to Farmer Volunteers have been in the news recently: USAID's official blog, IMPACT , has published a blog post written by FTF volunteer Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak. Originally posted to the Devils Gulch Educational Services blog, in this article Myriam comments on her trip to Washington, DC, where she was presented with her Presidential Volunteer Service Award, as well as her experience with and recommendations for the Farmer to Farmer Program. The Marin Independent Journal also recently published a news article on her efforts in Haiti through the FTF Program. Tamra Fakhoorian conducted a radio interview on algae as a biofuel source and the merits of integrated farming (biogas, duckweed, and aquaculture) after having completed a team assignment to Guyana in November. Ms. Fakhoorian traveled as an algae industry specialist, along with duckweed specialist Louis Landesman and biogas specialist Vance Haugen. The trip was a collaborative effort between...

Dr. Thomas Evans (seated, center) and Dr. Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak (seated, far right) join other Farmer to Farmer volunteers and USAID representatives in being honored by USAID. Two other volunteers photographed, Jason Licamele (far left) and Terrill Christensen (standing, 5th from right), have also traveled with Partners' FTF Program. The US Agency for International Development has issued a press release announcing the Farmer to Farmer volunteers who were recently honored in Washington, DC, for their voluntary service abroad. As described in an earlier blog post , two of Partners of the Americas' volunteers were selected for their exemplary service and dedication to assisting farmers and farm organizations in developing countries. Congratulations to Dr. Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak and Dr. Thomas Evans, who were both presented with Presidential Volunteer Service Awards, as well as the hundreds of individuals who volunteer their time and skills abroad through Partners of the A...

In November 2010 a team of two Farmer to Farmer volunteers, Richard (Dick) Waybright and Doug Stauffer, from the Pennsylvania Chapter of Partners of the Americas traveled to Bahia, Brazil to meet with stakeholders in the dairy sector and share information and technologies related to milk production. They were generously accommodated by the Department of Agriculture and other local organizations, and their seminars generated a television interview and other press such as this article in PuraPolitica.com.br. (Click here for an English translation). This was Mr. Waybright's and Mr. Stauffer's second trip to Bahia through the Farmer to Farmer Program, following their previous FTF trips in 1997. Currently the Director of the Pennsylvania Chapter, Mr. Stauffer has served in various leadership roles of the Pennsylvania - Bahia Partnership over the past 25 years and is the Founder and President of Imperial Beverage Systems, Inc.. Mr. Waybright, of award-winning Mason Dixon Farms...

Partners of the Americas’ Farmer to Farmer volunteers to be recognized at the USAID Volunteer Appreciation Event USAID is hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Event on December 7, 2010 in Washington DC to honor Farmer to Farmer volunteers. The event is part of USAIDs continued dedication to global food security and the launching of the Feed the Future Program. The Farmer to Farmer Program is one of the many USAID Programs that compliments these efforts and directly contributes to agricultural development and economic growth. Two of Partners’ Farmer to Farmer volunteers will be in attendance and recognized at the Volunteer Appreciation Event. Partners of the Americas’ Farmer to Farmer Volunteer Honorees: Dr. Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak is a veterinarian, farmer, and development practitioner who has traveled 10 times to Haiti as a specialist in rabbit production with Partners of the Americas’ Farmer to Farmer Program. Dr. Kaplan-Pasternak has focused primarily on helping Makouti Ag...

FTF Volunteer Otto Wiegand with cattle farmers Agriculture contributes an estimated 20-30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, mainly attributed to the release of nitrous oxide and methane from fertilizer use, as well as carbon dioxide emissions from land clearing. This recent article by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development announces a new fund to address climate change and food security, but also provides a good overview of the complex issue of agricultural production's contribution to climate change, as well as the ways in which future food production could be jeopardized by its effects. Since 1991, Partners' Farmer to Farmer volunteers have already trained and assisted thousands of farmers throughout Latin America and the Caribbean in the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) present a cost-effective opportunity for farmers to use natural resources more efficiently and thus, mainta...