A U.S.-funded program that helps African subsistence farmers build commercially successful operations seeks volunteer American farmers and agribusinessmen and women with know-how in agriculture to go to Africa for two weeks, according to a report in DailyIllini.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES) is considered by some to be the top school of agriculture-related sciences in the world, according to one source.
College of ACES is partnering with Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. Agency for International Development in the Farmer-to-Farmer Program in Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
Four other institutions have joined the program and are seeking volunteers to travel to these countries, including Food Resource Bank, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, National Association of Agricultural Educators and American Agri-Women.
Volunteers “can help farmers move from subsistence production to getting into higher value commercial activities, for example being able to work towards being a supplier for agribusiness, or for the export market, or even a market in a larger city within that country,” said Rolin Oliver Ferguson, ACES’ international program coordinator, in an email. “This can raise farm incomes and by increasing farmer incomes you can positively impact their household well being.”
During their two weeks in Africa, volunteers give farmers crash courses in their specialty, helping those farmers build long-term plans to improve their practices, the report said.
“The fact that the U.S. farmer, or agribusiness person would come overseas, spend two weeks in the village and really focus on helping someone in a completely different part of the world is also a fairly large piece of encouragement and support that these African farmers will get,” said Kelsey Day, communications and resource development coordinator for Food Resource Bank.
Authorized in 1985, the U.S. AID-funded program has been implemented in more than 80 countries since its inception, according to the agency’s website, the report said.
“We are looking for people who basically have some good know-how and good experience in doing agriculture within their setting,” said Bruce White, program director for Catholic Relief Services. “We’re looking for people who love agriculture and have become successful in their own lives, and we’d like to share that experience.”
Volunteers are needed with a variety of specialties in agriculture, from professors to farmers to master gardeners. They do not need overseas experience or many years in the field. Younger people, including graduate students, are also invited to apply, the report said.
