agricultural

Over the years, a number of our F2F volunteers have worked in the area of soil fertility. As synthetic agro-inputs can be pricey, oftentimes our volunteers teach hosts about organic soil fertility management practices such as the use of green manures, compost, companion crops, crop rotations, and animal manure. One common and inexpensive source of macronutrients, however, frequently gets overlooked: urine.  Stored goat urine at CEPROCAL In March 2016, F2F volunteer Rob Crook traveled to Guatemala for a two week assignment to train extension agents with the Center for Goat Production in the Altiplano of Guatemala (CEPROCAL) on how to make liquid fertilizer and compost using goat urine. CEPROCAL currently captures and stores the urine produced by stabled goats at their production center. While CEPROCAL technicians have speculated that the urine is an excellent source of nutrients for fertilizing home gardens and pastures, they did not know how to best utilize it and in what quan...

F2F Volunteer Cynthia Ocamb recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to complete an integrated pest management assignment focused specifically on Black Sigatoka. The DR is one of the biggest producers of bananas in the Caribbean and one of the most devastating diseases affecting crops is a leaf spot disease called Black Sigatoka, or black leaf streak. This disease causes significant reductions in leaf area, yield losses of 50% or more, and premature ripening, a serious defect in exported fruit.  Dr. Ocamb examining leaves for disease In meetings and field visits with producers and technicians, Dr. Ocamb explained why infected leaves should be removed regularly: “to reduce the leaf area with active infections and suppress subsequent spore production” and showed each producer what the early stages of Black Sigatoka look like and how the spores travel via water from infected leaves to uninfected ones. She also noted that leaf tips (rather than the entire leaf) can be removed if les...

Rincon Grande Farming Operation F2F volunteer Colehour Bondera recently traveled from his home in Hawaii where he owns and operates a certified organic vegetable farm to complete an assignment in the Central Highlands of Guatemala. Mr. Bondera worked with agribusinesses to clarify the path to organic certification for mixed vegetable and fruit production operations near Antigua and Guatemala City. In addition to field visits and intensive discussions with host leaders, Mr. Bondera led several interactive workshops covering topics related to organic certification, discussions of the differences between “the ideal and the actual” organic plan, distinctions between production and processing, how to change an existing system, and effective planning. His recommendations included increasing the use of worm composting for soil and nutrient enrichment; incorporating trees and/or perennials for crop diversification, shade, nutrient access and/or border protection for overall organic system heal...

Whether it’s facilitating capacity building workshops on agricultural production, processing, marketing, or another theme, a large part of the F2F program, in a sense, is about the diffusion of innovations. For this discussion, innovation is defined as an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other entity. Often times when a F2F volunteer gives a recommendation to a F2F host, the volunteer is encouraging the adoption of a particular innovation. While the process may seem fairly straight forward – volunteer gives a recommendation and the host implements it – the actual adoption of that recommendation is a multistage progression often referred to as the Innovation-Decision Process (a model developed by rural sociology professor Dr. Everertt Rogers).  Rogers' Innovation-Decision Process Model So how does this process look applied? Let’s take a look at how the Innovation-Decision Process progressed as a result of Bill Knox’s F2F assignment with the...

Do you know what it means to be climate-smart? For smallholder banana farmers in the Dominican Republic, climate-smart agriculture can mean the difference between surviving and thriving during extreme weather events. Find out how Partners' Farmer-to-Farmer strategy in the DR is leveraging the agricultural knowledge of American agricultural experts to help Dominicans become more resilient to climate change and ensure a food secure future for their families!

Partners Farmer-to-Farmer Program staff from around the region met last week in the Dominican Republic to receive training, share experiences, and meet with some local hosts. The meeting was a great opportunity for new F2F field staff and seasoned veterans alike to learn from each other and form new relationships. Through these yearly workshops, we aim to build the capacity of F2F staff to collect success stories, measure program impact, and anticipate the needs of hosts and volunteers. Exchanging stories from four diverse F2F countries generated new ideas and excitement about the program and we look forward to carrying that out in the coming months! Below are photos we snapped throughout the week during a field visit to a F2F banana cooperative, workshops, and relaxation time. Enjoy!

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 the work Farmer-to-Farmer volunteers have been doing to achieve  SDG 17:  Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. Partnership can be a powerful tool for innovation, development, and social change - key cornerstones of programming at Partners of the Americas. Our Farmer-to-Farmer success stories often focus on sustainable development strategies throughout Guatemala, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua. What we don't often emphasize is the long-lasting impact of F2f on volunteers' lives once they leave their host countries.   While on-site, our volunteers face daily challenges as they apply their skills in unique environments. Check out how agricultural experts use their F2F experiences to improve global partnership and meet this Goal 1...