Growing Knowledge & Building Partnerships

Ralph Bucca, an Agro-Processing Specialist with several volunteer assignments with the Farmer to Farmer Program in the past, was in Nicaragua this January doing what he does best: assisting and training small producers in low-technology and hands-on solutions that inexpensively improve food processing and, consequently, farmers’ livelihoods. For approximately two weeks, Mr. Bucca worked with Nicaraguan host organizations and conducted technical workshops on the construction, use and management of solar food dryers, for the purpose of food preservation and value added products. The tasks were fulfilling not only for Mr. Bucca but also for those local producers, many of them women, who were assisted. As he remarked while he was helping building these solar ovens to a group of eight women in Esteli, Nicaragua: “[these] women might not have ever used a saw, hammer, measuring tape, staple gun or screw driver… but they all seem to have a good time and are proud when it is done .“ Thes

Combine an organization with an innovative new technology perfect for Haiti's situation, with a dynamic Haitian agribusiness, and mix in the support of the Farmer to Farmer Program. The result? A great partnership spreading micro-enterprise and soil improvement opportunities throughout numerous communities in Haiti. For Haiti, biochar production means not only improved soils and greater plant yields, but also reduced deforestation due to creating cooking charcoal with "green" charcoal (produced with biochar) rather than from trees. Carbon Roots International is championing this technology in Haiti. With the help of Makouti Agro Enterprise, they have refined the process and introduced the technology to an ever-increasing number of communities in Makouti's and Farmer to Farmer 's network. Check out some of CRI's photos from their recent Farmer to Farmer trip: Anderson (right), F2F Field Officer, discussing deforestation and biochar with community membe

The completed drying house For nearly 3 weeks this past November, Matthias Reisen of Healing Spirits Herb Farm & Education Center in Avoca, NY, worked alongside staff and interns at Amazon World Ecological Park ( Parque Ecologico Mundo Amazonico)   in the municipality of Leticia, Colombia. Rafael Clavijo, owner of the 29-hectare park that is home to over 300 native plant species, requested training from Mr. Reisen in herb and fruit dehydration techniques for producing teas, as well as advice on tea packaging. Mr. Clavijo's goal is to produce dried teas and other herbal products from fruits and aromatic plants grown within the park grounds, and to sell them to park visitors who have expressed interest. After discussing various options for drying in such a humid, rainy environment and confirming an appropriate placement for a drying structure, the team sourced and purchased the necessary construction materials and got to work assembling the structure. The result: a 2-si

Corinne observes shadehouse-grown lettuce in Guyana Last month Corinne Kolm, Oregon volunteer from the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), traveled to Guyana to follow up on the work of her colleague who developed a natural pesticide to be used for shadehouse production. The request for technical assistance was generated from the producers' and technicians' concerns over the safety and cost of using synthetic insecticides. Derived mainly from neem, garlic, and hot peppers, the pesticide has been used by shadehouse vegetable producers since its formulation and testing in September 2012. It has proven to have a shelf-life of around 3 months and has been effective upon direct contact with pests. Corinne's assignment focused on improving the efficacy of the pesticide, establishing standard dilution rates and frequency of application, extraction methods, and ease of spray. As an organic inspector and gardener, Corinne has a great deal of experience with organic inse

Jenifer Perry, an Instructor from Paul Smith's College, has recently participated as a Farmer to Farmer (F2F) volunteer building strong bonds with different sustainable development stakeholders in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic (DR). As part of her activities, she was able to give technical assistance to young Dominican women to improve their community garden plots in an eco-club project hosted by a Peace Corp volunteer in Jarabacoa. Jen Perry working with local Eco-Club on community garden Jeniffer's initial assigned activities were to instruct students at the Natural Resource Management School (NRMS) in Jarabacoa on renewable energy and to assist them in their production classes. She was able to accomplish this exceptionally, while also helping these students with their English classes. Additionally, soon after she was introduced to a Peace Corps volunteer working at the village level with young women eco-club members, she recognized the potential that encouraging t