Growing Knowledge & Building Partnerships

Partners of the Americas' Agriculture and Food Security team wishes you Happy Holidays! 2017 has been a busy year, with lots of stories from our  USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program and other activities. In January volunteers  helped improve Dominican coffee , in February they  empowered youth in Paraguay through 4-H , March assignments  evaluated onion growing practices in Guatemala , volunteers in April  helped prevent deforestation in Ecuador , in May a team of volunteers trained farmers on rotational grazing and crop management in Nicaragua , in June F2F highlighted the achievements of a long-time Haiti volunteer , in July a F2F host from Colombia started selling their products in Whole Foods , in August volunteers helped improve goat milk production and processing in Guatemala , in September F2F put the spotlight on two Nicaragua hosts - Fabretto and FADCANIC , an October volunteer helped analyze the meat processing industry in the DR , sweet potato and dragon fru

By Julie Heifetz, F2F Nicaragua Volunteer August 13-27, 2017 I had the opportunity to work with the Farmer to Farmer program (F2F) in Nicaragua in August 2017. The purpose of the F2F assignment titled: Women and Youth in Agriculture Specialist in Market Research (Artisanal Coconut Oil) was to conduct a preliminary market study to explore the potential of coconut oil in the Nicaraguan marketplace. The assignment objectives included: a look at consumer trends and preferences, nutritional/health aspects of the oil, domestic and international competition and market feasibility. This technical assistance opportunity involved meeting in Managua with The Foundation for the Autonomy and Development of the Atlantic Coast (FADCANIC) to provide input and recommendations regarding the marketing of their agricultural products from Wawashang in the Atlantic Coastal region. FADCANIC is a civil society, non-governmental organization working as a major implementer of development and infrastructur

On this International Volunteer Day, Partners' F2F program would like to highlight a previous team assignment in Guatemala. We would also like to express our sincerest gratitude and appreciation for all of our F2F volunteers, past and present, who have exemplified the true meaning of volunteerism. Dr. Lindsey du Toit assessing onion crops at a field Earlier this year, Lindsey du Toit, Professor of Plant Pathology at the Washington State University, and Bill Buhrig, Extension Educator at the Oregon State University, traveled to the Sacapulas region of Quiche in Guatemala to provide training and assistance to the Association Sacapulteca (ASPROCE), a collective of onion growers in the region. Combining their respective expertise in plant pathology, and crop fertility and post-harvest management, Lindsey and Bill were able to develop a comprehensive analysis of current onion production practices and recommend ways in which the producers could improve the quality and quantity of

Mision Illac (ILAC) is a non-profit organization that operates in the rural communities of the Central Cibao Valley in the Dominican Republic. Its mission is to provide agricultural education and training to local community members in order to improve their overall financial well-being, health, and quality of life, and discourage migration to the city. Specifically, ILAC promotes nutrition and environmental conservation through its focus on the production of organic vegetables using sustainable agricultural practices. F2F volunteer Charles Mitchell with ILAC members Partners’ Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program has been working with ILAC since the start of this year, during which it has sent several volunteers to provide assistance and contribute to the organization’s mission. Recently, F2F volunteer, Charles Mitchell traveled to the Dominican Republic to provide training and workshops on best practices for soil conservation. An organic farm inspector and former member of the USD

The Dominican Republic has a long and rich history in the production of cacao. However, farmers have struggled to increase the resilience of their cacao yields to changes in the climate. Rebecca Roebber, Marketing Director and COO of indi chocolate , recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to share her expertise in cacao production and quality assurance. In particular, Rebecca worked alongside IDIAF ( Instituto Dominicano De Investigacion Agropecuarias Y Forestales) staff members to help them improve their production practices to become more sustainable in face of climate change and increase the quality and value of their cacao. Following an initial assessment of their current production practices, Rebecca provided training sessions on methods to increase the quality of organic cacao through improvements in pruning and post harvest practices. She also emphasized the importance of soil nutrition to ensure the quality and sustainability of their cacao yields. Rebecca also noted a

Rincon Grande's Dragon Fruit Chips Alimentos Rincon Grande, S.A., located in the small municipality of San Andrés Iztapa, Chimaltenango, is a family-owned and operated enterprise that produces organic fruits and vegetables to sell in domestic markets. In an effort to increase their profits and diversify their products, they have recently begun producing added-value goods, such as chips, from their sweet potato and dragon fruit crops. As part of these efforts, Partners of the Americas sent two F2F volunteers over the summer to provide support in fortifying their marketing strategy and improving the packaging of their sweet potato and dragon fruit chips. Dr. Melvin Pascall discussing packaging materials with staff On September 25th Ohio State University professor, Melvin Pascall, travelled to Guatemala to help Rincon Grande improve the packaging and labelling of their chip products in order to extend their shelf life and increase their marketability. During his time in Gu

On Friday, October 27, Partners of the Americas had the distinct pleasure of hosting Dr. Ethel Villalobos for a presentation on her recent Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) volunteer assignment in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Villalobos is the Director of the Honeybee Project at the University of Hawaii – Manoa. During her decades-long career of working with honeybees, she has led groundbreaking research on varroa treatments, mite-bee interactions, colony health assessment, as well as hygienic behavior. Moreover, she has also been developing a series of outreach programs for underserved Costa Rican farmers in need of pollination services. In fact, it was her passion for empowering impoverished farmers with practical beekeeping skills, which inspire her to sign up as a volunteer with Partners of the Americas’ F2F program. In May 2017, Dr. Villalobos and her UH graduate student, Scott Nikaido, traveled to several rural communities in the northeast of the Dominican Republic. The object

By F2F Volunteer Kris Fricke  This was my first visit to Central America after having done many projects in Africa. As I stepped out of the plane into the warm humid air filled with the vibrant smell of foliage I was struck by how much it reminded me of Africa, though of course it's also quite different and I was comparing and contrasting in my mind throughout the trip. The plumes of smoke from volcanos visible right from the airport and throughout the capitol were really a marvel to me! My project was with Fabretto in the town of Somoto in the mountains in the north and in the tiny town of San Jose de Cusmapa near there. The area was beautiful and scenic with little villages of classic tiled adobe houses nestled among the mountains.  Somoto was a small town of cobbled streets that were very pleasant to stroll about upon, with seemingly most of the town's population sitting on their doorsteps in the evening. Fabretto is working with youth in many surrounding co

By Andrés F. Varona, Farmer-to-Farmer Program Officer    In September 2017, Johnson Ndi traveled to Nicaragua, to support our Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) host, Fabretto Foundation, with multiple seminars on business development and sales. As part of this F2F assignment, Mr. Ndi visited and led trainings at several of Fabretto’ youth centers in Managua as well as in northern town of San Jose de Cusmapa. At these centers, he delivered a series of youth-focused workshops meant to train Fabretto staff, tutors, and students on various aspects of merchandising and e-marking for small agricultural enterprises. He also led some hands on trainings on effective sales techniques and strategies, negotiation skills, and the use of digital tools to increase the market presence and customer base. The key goal of this assignment was to strengthen ability of participants to launch successful sales operations tailored to agricultural crops and value-added products in the Nicaraguan market. In addi

By F2F Volunteer Robert Crook In September 2017, I traveled to the Dominican Republic to work on a USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Climate Change Adaptation program. For this F2F assignment, I was asked to work with Mission ILAC, a faith-based organization located in Santiago de Los Caballeros, the DR’s second largest city. For over 60 years, Mission ILAC has a long and well-respected history of implementing medical programs that provide vital medical care and surgeries for underserved rural populations. In the last decade, the organization has been actively working on improving the economic livelihoods of local farmers around Santiago. Much of this technical assistance is focused on ways to empower agricultural producers and prevent rural populations from migrating to the crowded urban areas of the country. During my time in Santiago, I was fortunate enough to work alongside Mission ILAC staff in order to develop a more strategic and climate-smart vision for their agricultural e

By: Dr. Aliyar Fouladkhah, F2F/USAID Volunteer, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Tennessee State University The two hour drive from Santo Domingo to Santiago gave a snapshot of the vibrant agricultural industries in the Dominican Republic. The road to Santiago is lined by farming fields with many road-side vendors selling fruits and vegetables. In addition to being the second largest city in DR and the fourth largest city in the Caribbean, Santiago is also home to several distinguished universities, including ISA University (Universidad ISA)—the host institution for this Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) assignment. Upon arrival at ISA University, I had to opportunity to meet with department head of the food science program. The program currently is home to 8 lecturers/research advisers and approximately 275 students, around 10% of the population of the ISA University students. The timing of this F2F assignment was commendable since it was scheduled during the last two weeks

By F2F Volunteer Bettina Barillas Before arriving, I didn’t know what to expect—I had received a lengthy preparation packet and briefly spoken to the Field Officer, but these documents could not have prepared me for the warmth with which I was received. After 24 hours of travel, I arrived absolutely exhausted, but nervous and excited for my two weeks in country. I was filled with anxiety about whether my Spanish was good enough, whether I would be of service, and how my relationship would be with my host organization. I quickly learned, however, that all of my worrying was pointless—I had arrived to an organization that not only cared greatly about my experience, but also was excited to have me and share their own country with me. The team at my host organization not only briefed me on their project, but they shared their own personal stories and motivations that drove them to work towards a better Nicaragua. They shared their traditions. They shared their food. They shared the

By Andrés Varona, Agriculture & Food Security Program Officer at Partners of the Americas  For two weeks in September 2017, Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) volunteer Bettina Barrillas traveled to Managua to assist our host, Fabretto Foundation. During her assignment, Ms. Barrillas worked alongside Fabretto’s e-commerce team in order to develop a creative, strategic and innovative branding plan for its agricultural value added products (e.g. Honey, Chia, Coffee, Fruits). As part of these efforts, she provided hands-on knowledge transfers about design strategies and accessible software that can be used to develop and improve packaging/labeling for existing products. The volunteer also supported the host in generating marketing campaigns tailored to the local and domestic market for natural food products. This F2F assistance came at a strategic time for Fabretto, especially since they are currently seeking to leverage their connections in the United States to sell their farmers’ agricu

By Andrés Varona, Agriculture & Food Security Program Officer at Partners of the Americas  F2F Volunteer  Femke Olham  led a series of technical workshops with Raizal  communities in Providencia Island. These trainings were centered on ways to safely capture rainwater and channel it to local orchards. In the last six years, Partners of the Americas (Partners) has been supporting agriculture, food security, and natural resource management in Colombia through the USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program.   Since 2011, Partners has assisted over 1,500 people and formally trained 1,131 individuals (681 men and 450 women) in a variety of technical assistance areas such as entrepreneurship, small business development and administration, international marketing, tropical post-harvest processing, livestock management, citrus nursery management, climate change, and soil and water conservation in Colombia. F2F Nicholas DiLorenzo (right) visits banana fields with Un

Team Presentations at the CEPROCAL Center in Nebaj The first concrete evidence of soap-like substance is dated around 2800 BC., the first soap  makers were Babylonians, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, as well as the ancient Greeks and Romans. While volunteer Robert Spencer does not have that many years of experience he does have sixteen years of experience in making cold-process goat milk soap, shampoo, and lotion.  And has done multiple trainings in Myanmar, Haiti, and Guatemala.  The overall goal of this project was to provide economic opportunities for women in small-scale production of value-added agriculture products (oils, animal byproducts, herbs, vegetables, and fruits), along with goat milk in making skin care products including soap, shampoo, and lotion in rural areas of Guatemala.  This project host was CEPROCAL who collaborated with Save the Children Foundation, and the first week of training was conducted in Nebaj (El Quiche Department) at the local CEPROCAL

Altair Rodriguez’s demonstration farm in La Vega Province, Dominican Republic In August 2017, Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) volunteer Tom Gaman traveled to the Dominican Republic to support the agroforestry efforts of Altair Rodriguez’s demonstration farm. L ocated in La Vega Province, Finca Tierra Negra is a 66 hectare farm that is made up by partially-shaded  cacao trees grown primarily under a broken canopy of nitrogen-fixing native (e.g.Erythrina) and non-native trees (e.g. African Tulip). Much of farm sits on land that was previously used to produce conventional plantain ( Musa paradisiaca ) and cassava ( Manihot esculenta ).  The land is also susceptible to excess concentrations of pesticides and inorganic fertilizer runoff emanating from nearby farms. There are also a series of non-organic crops in the farm that have been neglected for years, and are hampering the ability of the Rodriguez family from obtaining organic production. Altair and her family are current