John McKenzie's Reflections on his F2F Assignment in Colombia

By -


¡Qué chévere! What a trip I from my small town, Fraser, in the chilly mountains of Colorado.

I decided to take on this volunteer opportunity, working with two agricultural cooperatives, because I have a passion for helping others who are not as fortunate as those in more developed countries. I was delighted to use my life-long experiences with farming and local agricultural marketing efforts combined with analytical risk skills for the betterment of small Colombian farmers.

The trip started well upon arriving in Cali, and meeting Gustavo, my driver, for my two-week assignment. He transported me to Guadalajara de Buga, one of Colombia’s oldest cities which became my comfortable and relaxing home during my stay.

Along with the in-country experts, we traveled up the winding and sometimes muddy roads to visit the two agricultural groups including individual farmers in the picturesque mountains near Buga. The two groups were composed of plantain farmers who are collectively marketing their products, working on bypassing the middleman, and creating value-added products. I met with the farmers and the in-country experts many times during my stay, and I very much appreciated the opportunity to start the process of learning about them, their farms, and their goals for the future. 

The experience jogged my memory, and I recalled my own local marketing efforts while running the family farm.  Really, there are more similarities than differences among farmers in the world community, and we all can benefit by sharing our processes and experiences.  Everybody was welcoming and friendly as we shared coffee, meals, and the tours of their farms. 

Still in communication with the two farmer groups, I am developing business marketing plans which will include analytical models involving risk to aid in better decision making. With the completion of the assignment, the organizations will be better equipped to increase their productivity, competitiveness, and long-term sustainable management. 

I returned to the U.S. with warm memories of Colombia and with a sense of a small contribution to a peacebuilding effort by lowering the incidence of conflict and creating greater economic opportunities for the associates of the two cooperatives. The experience renewed and refreshed my interest in doing more international agricultural development and I hope to return for follow-up work. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Better Marketing and Communications to Showcase the Work of our Hosts in Colombia

By -
Image
Salva Terra Foundation has focused on supporting vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture. They work with impoverished populations and victims of violence in Medellin and aim to promote farming and develop local skills to work in the agricultural industry in an ecological manner. This process of bringing together concepts such as social impact, sustainable development, environmental protection, and food security requires excellent outreach and promotion. Therefore, they requested a F2F volunteer to help them develop a communication and marketing plan. The chosen volunteer for this assignment was Dr. Sindy Chapa. She has a B.A. in Mass Media Communications, with a Minor in Television and Art Design, an MBA, and Ph.D. in International Business/Marketing. She is the Director and Associate Professor at the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University and has won several communications awards. Dr. Chapa decided to use Salva Terra as one of the case ...
Read more

Digital Marketing in Colombia

By -
Image
Digital Marketing is one way that entrepreneurs and producers across the globe can reach new markets and increase sales. But what is digital marketing and how can a small Colombian business use it to maximize the number of people who come across its brand? These are the questions that Zen Naturals was asking itself. Zen Naturals is a natural cosmetic manufacturing company based in Cali, Colombia. Zen Naturals develops natural cosmetics made from exotic ingredients from Colombia’s outstanding biodiversity. Through ethical manufacturing and fair trade practices, they are also taking a leadership role in re-investing in the communities that grow the ingredients used in their products. Currently, Zen Naturals supports more than 95 Colombian quinoa farming communities through Fair-Trade Practices and technical assistance on their production. Zen Naturals is preparing to launch their quinoa facial care products in Whole Foods Markets in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in 2017....
Read more

Supporting Anti-Child Labor Projects in Ecuador and Panama

By -
Image
EducaFuturo is a program currently being implemented by Partners of the Americas in Ecuador and Panama. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), EducaFuturo seeks to combat child labor in both countries through educational programs, vocational training, and livelihood services. F2F has partnered with EducaFuturo on numerous occasions over the past 5 years, sending 7 volunteers to support their efforts in improving the educational outcomes of youth involved in child labor, while also increasing the income opportunities of households to reduce reliance on child labor. Volunteers have provided training on a range of topics, including sustainable production practices, processing, business management, and marketing. In January 2016, F2F volunteer Carmen Pacheco-Borden traveled to Panama to work with native Ngabe-Bugle women’s groups in the tomato farming communities of Hato Chami and Boca de Monte to make value-added products from their harvests and consequently increase their hous...
Read more