Growing Knowledge & Building Partnerships

Rabbit producers in Haiti have made significant gains over the past 2 ½ years of the Farmer to Farmer Small Animal project, thanks to the support of Farmer to Farmer volunteers and the ongoing training and follow-up provided by Makouti Agro Enterprise. Partners of the Americas has been tracking the progress of individuals and groups receiving FTF support and based on a recent review, we have found very encouraging results which show the impact the project has had on Haitian farmers who are determined to improve their livelihoods. Our study compared baseline data, collected primarily in 2008 and 2009, against data collected in early 2011 for 99 producers and producer groups (hosts). We found that there was a 142% increase in the number of rabbits each host owned, with an average increase per host of nearly 19 rabbits. One producer from Grand Riviere du Nord started with only 4 rabbits in late 2008 and was managing 96 rabbits by early 2011. There was a 185% increase in offspri

Mr. Delemarre observes greenhouses at harvest time Often times finding new markets nationally and abroad can be difficult for farmers. Farmer to Farmer has recently had the opportunity to work with a marketing specialist who has answered the call to help farmers begin to bridge this gap in the Dominican Republic. Robert Delemarre had volunteered previously with the USAID Farmer to Famer Program in Southern Russia, and this past July and August he applied his expertise in the Caribbean by participating in an assignment with Partners of the Americas’ FTF Program in the Dominican Republic. His schedule was unique compared to the typical FTF agenda. His first few days were spent in Florida obtaining information from import - export companies. He sought to answer the following questions: What products do the companies already import/export? Would they be willing to establish relations with the Dominican Republic? What products are the companies interested to import? What grade stan

Ms. Stover visited with animal producers in the South of Haiti The Haiti Farmer to Farmer Program recently benefited from the perspective of a specialist in goat production, Ilana Stover, from the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. Since the program has previously focused a great deal of attention on rabbit production and beekeeping, this dedicated attention to goat production was very welcomed and needed. In her words,"During my two-week stint in Haiti, I toured the country and met a number of different goat farmers. Until I arrived, there had not been anyone with Farmer to Farmer to handle strictly goat production. I went in with the objective of observing and discovering the major issues that farmers were facing." Ms. Stover conducted a thorough analysis of several sites in the South and North of Haiti and made recommendations in the areas of parasite control and appropriate remedies, dairy production training, slaughter standards, breeding practices, and more

Did you know that the USAID Farmer to Farmer Program's official name as of 2008 is the "John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer to Farmer Program"? Doug Bereuter is the Congressman who initially sponsored the Farmer to Farmer Program, and John Ogonowski was an airline pilot who lost his life in the September 11th attacks. He is memorialized in the official name of our Program, but do you know why? This recent article in The Republic out of Indiana tells the story of Mr. Bereuter's dedication to helping farmers from other countries. It's a must-read!

At any given time, Partners of the Americas's Farmer to Farmer volunteers are volunteering their time to assist farmers and farming groups in the Caribbean and Americas. So what's going on this week? Bob Blohm, recent Dairy Quality volunteer, with Nicaraguan counterpart Volunteer Sheila Dallas Katzman, communications and leadership specialist, is conducting trainings in leadership to entrepreneurs and agribusiness and community leaders in the South of Haiti . Volunteers Jim Murren and Cheryl O'Brien, extension and gender specialists from Purdue University, are collaborating with IICA (InterAmerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture) and over 80 extension agents in Paraguay to improve agriculture extension practices and gender considerations in extension. Volunteer John Hargreaves, aquaculture specialist, is working with a tilapia hatchery in Guyana to make recommendations to improve Good Agriculture Practices. Volunteer Craig MacFarland is conducting a

The San Francisco Bay Area Times-Herald featured an article yesterday which highlights the work and dedication of veterinarian and Farmer to Farmer volunteer Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak. Together with the advice of volunteer specialists like Myriam and the local expertise of FTF field staff and Makouti Agro Enterprise leaders, data indicates that the average individual rabbit producer collaborating with Farmer to Farmer has increased his/her annual net income (from rabbit production activities) by US$817, and 74% of rabbit producers collaborating with Makouti Agro Enterprise are now able to send all of their children to school with income from rabbit sales. For a low-income Haitian farmer and his/her family, that translates into an improved livelihood and hope for the future.

Help support Partners' horticulture activities in Haiti! Donations provide tools, seeds and training to rural families. Click the image above to read more!