Teaching Composting Remotely to Cash Crop Farmers in Jamaica

By -

The members of the Crofts Hill Community in Clarendon, Jamaica, benefited from one of the pioneering pandemic-induced virtual assignments put on by USAID’s Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program. The trainer was the well experienced William Zimmerman, a seasoned F2F volunteer who covered the areas of composting, organic pesticides, and organic fertilizers. Bill focused on thermophilic composting, BSF larvae, and vermiculture. 

The Crofts Hill Farmers Group has over 30 registered members and the group was reestablished in 2018 with the vision of building a “community in which all its residents are given the opportunity to grow with the facilities that allows each to reach their full potential”. The members are producers of cash crops including cabbage, pak choy, lettuce, yams, sugar cane and other minor crops. The group has a balanced mix of males and females with ages ranging from 15 to 65. 

Some of the problems they faced with their crops include high dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, post-harvest loss of produce due to rot, and lack of marketing for produce. The training was very well received by the participants which not only included the members of the Crofts Hill Community, but also organic farmers, students, agriculture technical personnel and representatives from two local educational institutions. 


As a result of the assignment, some participants started their composting heaps and the people who were already established adjusted how they were doing their composting. Bill continues to assist the local Jamaican F2F office through his recommendations, and through extension partnerships with local agricultural initiatives. 

Zimmerman concluded that “Each USAID Farmer-to-Farmer assignment I complete around the world provides value to my personal vision and greater professional expertise to apply to my next assignment. The attendees of this remote training understood that my emphasis now and in-person is on improvement of Soil Organic Matter (SOM). My trip to Jamaica will follow similar F2F work with soil fertility, soil conservation, and climate-smart agriculture.”

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