agricultural

Agronomist Ilan Bar recently traveled to Guatemala to work with producers associated with the Commission of Ornamental Plants, Flowers and Foliage (AGEXPORT) on ways to strengthen the nutrition, fertilization and irrigation of their crops. Ilan Bar was truly impressed by the level of expertise of the owners of the large greenhouse operations he visited. AGEXPORT works with over 150 producers and exporter groups across Guatemala. Many are educated agronomists and highly trained technicians doing a lot of great work.  These dedicated producers and Ilan were determined to make the most of their time together and spent as many as 14 hours a day running through all of the production operations and outlining areas of improvement. They achieved this by conducting extensive hands on assessments and discussing various methodologies to ultimately improve quality and production of their ornamental plants and flowers. Reoccurring recommendations centered around plant nutrition and fe...

This article is a contribution to a blog series on how Partners Agriculture and Food Security programs contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals . This week’s blog highlights what Farmer-to-Farmer volunteers have been doing towards SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Around the world, women and girls play a crucial role in creating sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families. However, minimal access to land, credit, training, and leadership positions due to gender-based inequities all too often limits their economic opportunities. For our USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer and Haiti Nutrition Security programs, family spending dynamics play a crucial role in livelihood development. A growing body of research shows that when women have control of familial income, they invest more money in their children’s education, health care, and overall wellbeing. Not only does this dynamic produce positive health and wellness outcomes, but it elevates ...