News

Enhancing Opportunities and Quality Education for Students

| Winrock International

Since 2013, Winrock International has mobilized eight volunteers representing six US universities through the USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program, to help to strengthen the College of Agriculture Sciences at the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) in Bangladesh. As part of its countrywide outreach, IUBAT cooperates with 216 public and private Agriculture Training Institutes (ATIs) that enroll 20,000 students each year. F2F fielded four volunteers in collaboration with IUBAT to train 22 principals and teachers from 12 ATIs around the country on agriculture education management, pedagogy, agriculture extension, and communication.

Agricultural Agent Travels to Tanzania to Share Skills with Local Farmers

| Wisconsin State Farmer

Jergensen’s assignment was part of Catholic Relief Services’ Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program that promotes economic growth, food security, and agricultural development in East Africa. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the five-year program matches the technical assistance of U.S. farmers, agribusinesses, cooperatives, and universities to help farmers in developing countries improve agricultural productivity, access new markets, and increase their incomes.

Malawian Company Obtains a $175,000 Loan with a Convincing Business Plan

Cecilia Rice founded Estrell Trading Company in 2012 with her own savings and small loans from friends. Ms. Rice wanted to produce peanut flour after she recognized that it is in high demand and an important nutritional supplement. Ms. Rice now employs 31 people, including 22 women, and is also producing peanut butter which she sells well throughout Malawi.  Ms. Rice has proven herself as a successful entrepreneur, but she is the first to admit that she lacks the accounting skills necessary to access commercial bank loans. Through the USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer program, she sought technical assistance to convince banks that her company is a viable investment.

F2F Volunteers Plan to Expand Deerfield Farms Service in Morocco

| Farm and Dairy

John and Jessica Wallbrown, whose family owns Deerfield Farms Service, are planning a new business venture that will include sales and services in Morocco, a small country in the northern end of Africa. DF-Maroc will operate as a Deerfield Farms-affiliated company, and offer similar agricultural products and services as the U.S. company.

Plastic Recycling in the Dominican Republic: Working with Banana Associations on Waste Management

| Partners of the Americas

This article was originally written by Partners of the Americas. 

Situation

Based on the priorities of the USAID Mission in the Dominican Republic (DR), Partners of the Americas’ 2013-2018 DR Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program is focused on “increasing the resilience of vulnerable populations and organizations to the impacts of Global Climate …

From the Schoolyard to the Riverfront: Students Learn Local Methods to Measure Water Quality in the Dominican Republic

| Partners of the Americas

In the Dominican Republic (DR), the Escuela Nacional del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales de Jarabacoa (Jarabacoa National Environmental and Natural Resources School) is dedicated to building the next generation of environmental leaders. The Jarabacoa School enrolls 50 students per year into a 2 . year technical program that teaches environmental management, forestry, park management, eco-tourism, and other related fields. As a result of global climate change, which has led to more frequent and severe droughts, floods, and storms in the region, the Jarabacoa School wanted to incorporate issues of climate change into their curriculum. However, their curriculum was out of date and the school has limited resources and capacity to find techniques to teach about climate change that could be integrated into their curriculum.