Growing Knowledge & Building Partnerships

By Dieter Wittkowski, F2F Volunteer in April 2023 About the Assignment: Dieter Wittkowski supported Centro de Educación y Promoción Rural (CEPROR) as a Microfinance Expert. Mr. Wittkowski trained administrative personnel in financial management of small loans. Mr. Wittkowski has over 20 years of experience with the Inter-American Development Bank in Latin America.  What does microcredit have to do with farming? Well, as with many things related to finance and economics, it depends. In the Dominican Republic (DR), the agricultural sector is closely linked with access to financial services. Small-scale farmers, productive cooperatives and producers’ associations and their family members often need small and appropriately designed loan and savings products to enhance their productivity and access to markets. While there is a plethora of existing banks and microfinance organizations in the DR, many rural families still have difficulty in obtaining a loan that meets their needs. My volu...

By Troy Hinke, F2F Volunteer in November 2022 This blog was taken with permission from his blog on Urban Worm Company. It has been edited for length and clarity. About the Assignment: Troy Hinke supported Food for the Poor Jamaica as a Sustainable Crop Nutrition Specialist. He  supported farmer clusters in the development of effective and balanced alternative plant nutrition programs and systems. Troy Hinke is the Chief Soil Biologist at Urban Worm Company and is the owner of Living Roots Compost Tea. Urban Worm & Jamaica: A Chance to Give Back Jamaica is a vacation destination for most people. I recently got the chance to spend two weeks there volunteering my time to teach farmers as part of a government program called Farmer To Farmer through Partners of the Americas. This blog about my time in Jamaica is unlike most others that involve worms or soil biology in some way, we think you will enjoy it nonetheless. Farmer to Farmer The 2022 conflict in Ukraine has caused higher-t...

By Robert Giblin, F2F Volunteers in March 2023 About the Assignment: Robert Giblin supported Comerciacoop as a Strategic Planning Expert. Mr. Giblin assessed their current strategic development plan and provided recommendations on ways to improve and implement it across the organization. Mr. Giblin is a consultant, writer, and speaker on agricultural and food issues as well as best practices in public relations and market research.  I recently returned from a two-week assignment in Chiquinquirá, Colombia, working with the leadership team of Comerciacoop, a financial services cooperative similar to credit unions in the U.S.  Comerciacoop is affiliated with Asomicrofinanzas, a leading organization in the financial sector in Colombia, which works to improve how microfinance institutions serve rural communities.  Among other services, Comerciacoop makes microloans to small farmers, artisans and other small businesses in Colombia’s Boyacá Department.  This was my fourth F...

By Johanna Montalvo, F2F Volunteer in March 2023 About the assignment:   Johanna Montalvo supported APOLO as a Professional Coffee Taster. Ms. Montalvo trained APOLO staff in cupping processes as well as the techniques and parameters to determine the quality of the coffee as well as the best barista techniques. Ms. Montalvo is a  certified Q grader and has been a Specialty Coffee Educator for the last 5 years.  Olopa is a small town in Guatemala, its name comes from the Nahuatl language and it means “river of corn hearts.” Its warm climate, like its people, welcomed me in a festive atmosphere. Since my visit coincided with the days of the traditional fair dedicated to the Divina Pastora, I got to enjoy its streets filled with color, music, food and traditional treats. I had the honor of being selected by Partners of the Americas in their Farmer to Farmer program as a professional coffee taster volunteer, to deliver training to the members of APOLO (Association of Produce...

By Dr. Leyla Rios, F2F Volunteer in February 2023 About the Assignment:   Leyla Rios de Alvarez supported the Centro Caprino of the CABPRO project as a Parasitology Analysis and Laboratory Expert.  Dr. Rios established a methodology on collecting goat manure samples to conduct parasitology analysis and develop a profilactic treatment plan. Dr. Rios is currently Assistant Professor in Extension and Research in the Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences at Mississippi State University. The Farmers-to-Farmers experience in Guatemala has been wonderful. It is my first time in this beautiful country. Being able to work with the team that assists and helps empower women and their families from rural communities in this beautiful country has been a privilege and a blessing. To acheive the main objective of empowering women and their families from rural communities of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, the team has benefitted 350 families with a dairy goat that will be able to help improve ...

By Gabriele Marewski, F2F Volunteer in March 2023 About the Assignment: Gabriele Marewski supported Del Hanna Family Farm as an Organic Crop Production Specialist. Gabriele guided them in innovative and sustainable ways to produce orchard and vegetable crops such as soursop, banana, coconut, peanuts, tomatoes, eggplant, and sweet pepper. Gabriele has worked in the field of organic agriculture for over thirty years, and currently is an agricultural coach and foundations facilitator for Mountain Bizworks. When I was offered my first Farmer to Farmer assignment to Guyana, I was thrilled. Then I had to look up where Guyana is. I usually had this question when sharing about my assignment with others: Is that in Africa? I explained that Guyana is the only officially English speaking country in South America I was assigned to work with the best soursop grower and soon to be first certified organic small farm in the country!  Desk work of completing the organic certification applicati...

Gotero, Gotero, Gotero, … By Luke Bowman and John Gierke, F2F Volunteers in February 2023 A dripper (gotero) watering a young stalk of maize. Goteros were spaced in accordance with the spacing of plants. The drippers are adjustable by hand and can be taken apart for cleaning. About the Assignment :  Dr. John Gierke and Dr. Luke Bowman supported Fundación Cartagena Nuevo Amanecer as a Small-Scale Irrigation Systems Expert and Water Capture (Hydrology) Specialist respectively. Dr. Gierke and Dr. Bowman assisted the Fundación in the design of a small-scale water catchment and irrigation system for FCNA’s school garden beds as well as local backyard gardens. Dr. Gierke has a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and teaches at the Michigan Technological University.  Dr. Bowman has a Ph.D. in Geology and is a research assistant professor at the Michigan Technological University.  We have collaborated on many projects over the past 15-plus years, mostly in El Salvador. This w...

By Ken Ayers, F2F Volunteer in February 2023 About the Assignment : Ken Ayers supported the St. Ann Health Department as a Meat Safety and Inspection Specialist. Mr. Ayers trained their staff in the principles and practice of food safety for meat, inspection protocols, and HACCP. Mr. Ayers served 22 years with the U.S.D.A. where he supervised programs that administered the U.S. Standards for Grades of Slaughter Cattle and Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef, grading, and certification. This was my first time traveling to Jamaica. When we think of Jamaica, we often think of the resorts and vacationing hotels. However, there are communities and markets that serve the local population that most tourists do not see. It was in these local communities that I was on a Farmer-to-Farmer assignment working with meat quality and safety.   The Government of Jamaica seeks to increase the national beef and dairy production and to increase national food security. I visited several local mea...

By Thomas Pepler, F2F Volunteer in March 2023 About the Assignment: Thomas Pepler supported Mainstay Whyaka Village as an Agro/Eco-Tourism Administrative Expert. Mr. Pepler assisted the hosts in developing a management structure and administrative guidelines for their tourism businesses. Mr. Pepler is the co-owner of Dogwood Hills Guest Farm in Harriet, Arkansas and works in hospice care in their community. During my volunteer assignment in Guyana, I had the privilege of meeting with many members of the Mainstay Whyaka Village as well as the village leadership.  I was there to share and provide expertise in the administrative aspects of starting, growing and operating an agro/eco-tourism business.  I must admit I was nervous to talk to the groups, as while I have been doing this kind of work for quite a while, I don't really feel like much of an expert. I spoke about how we structure things, and we discussed the ways that changing the structure of what was proposed ...

Volunteering with USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer Program in San Pedro Las Huertas By Laurie Posner, F2F Volunteer in February 2023 A sapphire sky ringed by hulking volcanoes. Sun yellow, brick red and ochre facades giving way to cobblestone streets, then dusty roadways and forested hillsides. These, the impressions that arise as we head toward the outskirts of Antigua to Yogi Super Foods’ factory in San Pedro Las Huertas. In late January, Guatemala’s Central Highlands region is pretty much the polar opposite of my home in Southeast Michigan. Emphasis on polar. Rooftop solar panels installed at Yogi Super Foods’ factory in San Pedro Las Huertas. Photo: Laurie Posner When we reach the small factory, it’s bustling with construction — and creativity. This past year, YSF founder and CEO Marco Barbi and his team have installed rooftop solar panels to make good on the company’s promise of greater energy efficiency and sustainability. Meanwhile, production manager Hector Jolón tests new equipme...