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Hi: This is a unique opportunity for farmers wishing to share their knowledge with less fortunate individuals. John >Hello, Passing along this message as I thought it might be of interest to >some in Extension. thanks, Deb > >>Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 15:50:53 -0500 >>Sender: [log in to unmask] >>From: Kristina Gribovskaja <[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] (FAP-NE-AG-DEVEL-L) >>Subject: Overseas Volunteer Opportunities >> >>Please allow me to take a moment of your time and introduce you to CNFA and >>our Agribusiness Volunteer Program. >> >>The Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA) is a non-profit, nonpartisan >>organization dedicated to stimulating international economic growth in >>developing and emerging world markets. CNFA is currently working in the >>food and agriculture sector of the New Independent States of the former >>Soviet Union - Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, and Belarus; and in southern Africa >>- Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Zambia. >> >>CNFA's Agribusiness Volunteer Program (AVP) has sent over 700 American >>farmers and other agribusiness professionals on short-term assignments to >>the former Soviet Union and Africa to share their know-how with their >>counterparts and empower them to solve problems. >> >>In Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus, the CNFA Agribusiness Volunteer Program is >>creating pillars of support for democracy and a market economy. AVP >>volunteers train family farmers who have broken away from the old collective >>farm system to make wise business decisions, improve productivity, and >>market their produce. AVP also supports the development of democratic >>farmer associations, cooperatives, and agribusinesses that will strengthen >>private enterprise agriculture. AVP volunteers that travel to southern >>Africa, show groups of farmers how to analyze which crops to grow, how to >>work together to buy inputs at lower prices and to sell their produce at >>higher prices. >> >>We are funded by the US government (USAID), and cover all expenses related >>to the assignment, including all travel expenses, an interpreter, room and >>board, etc. However, since these are volunteer assignments, we do not pay >>any consulting fees or honorariums. The expert volunteers his or her time >>and knowledge. Most of our projects are three-weeks long. CNFA volunteers >>take advantage of the opportunity to help people around the world, make new >>friends and business contacts and obtain insights into agriculture in other >>countries that they can use at home. >> >>Below please see a list of all currently available assignments by country: >> >>Ukraine: >> >>Agricultural Marketing: Help a diversified agricultural company to clearly >>define its marketing strategy and to develop an operational marketing plan. >> >>Cattle Breeding: Train farmers in modern, scientific methods of cattle >>breeding. Help develop a work plan for increasing cattle production. >> >>Dairy Marketing and Distribution: Train marketing managers on how to improve >>their marketing techniques and how to find new markets in order to increase >>sales volume of the dairy. >> >>Marketing Training: Work with marketing and sales managers of a farm input >>supply company to develop an operational marketing plan. >> >>Produce Marketing: Train members in western marketing techniques to increase >>sales of their fruits and vegetables. >> >>Train-the-Trainer Marketing: Work with the management of a farm input supply >>company to prepare a marketing training program for the company. Help >>regional branch managers acquire the skills necessary to provide continuing >>marketing training for their staff. >> >> >>Belarus: >> >>Association Management/Apple Storage and Marketing: Train managers in >>effective association management techniques. Teach members apple storage >>and apple marketing methods. >> >>Farm Products Marketing: Work with staff to implement a marketing program to >>increase sales. >> >>Fruit and Vegetable Marketing: Train members in western marketing techniques >>to increase sales of their crops. >> >>Pork Production and Management: Train farm managers and employees in Western >>pork production techniques and management. Work with agribusiness managers >>to develop a pork production and management plan. >> >>Sturgeon Production: Work with management to improve sturgeon production >>practices, water management, and sturgeon breeding. >> >> >>Southern Africa: >> >>Institutional Strategic Analysis: Assess local association of retailers to >>identify financial, organizational and training needs. >> >>Business Management Train-the-Trainer: Teach local trainers to administer >>small business management course geared toward small-scale farmers and >>retailers. >> >>Recordkeeping for retailers: Teach rural retailers basic recordkeeping, >>working from a CNFA training module. >> >>Credit Union Development: Help farmers in Mozambique start a savings and >>credit union. >> >>Fishery management and breeding: Teach genetics and fishpond management to >>small scale fish farmers in Zambia. >> >>Leadership and Organizational Development: Help small scale fish farmers >>associations in Zambia become more membership-driven and effective. >> >>Association Strategic Planning: Teach associations how to develop >>strategic/action plans, cost activities and make good decisions according to >>member needs. >> >>Small Business Management: Train small scale fish farmers in business >>management, marketing (for local and export markets) and financial >>management in Zambia. >> >>Business Planning and Budgeting: Teach rural retailers basic budgeting and >>business plan development, working from a CNFA training module. >> >>Farm & Financial Management: Teach basic principles of commercial farming, >>recordkeeping and profitability analysis to South African small scale >>farmers. >> >>Retail Marketing: Teach basic principles of marketing to rural retailers in >>Mozambique. >> >>Produce Marketing: Teach basic principles of marketing and collective >>marketing to small scale farmers in South Africa. >> >>Developing New Business: Teach rural retailers in Mozambique techniques in >>growing business. >> >>Training Module Development: In partnership with local companies, develop >>training modules to improve business analysis skills of indigenous >>smallholder farmers. >> >>Cooperative Development: Help farmer cooperatives improve marketing >>capability in Mozambique. >> >>Small Business Management: Train small scale farmers in business management, >>marketing (for local and export markets) and financial management in South >>Africa. >> >> >>Moldova: >> >>Cooperative Business Management: Work with co-op board to construct a work >>plan and a budget. >> >>Cooperative Development (3 assignments in different regions): Work with >>co-op board to construct a work plan and train the manager on how to create >>a budget, and improve current services. >> >>Farm Financial Management: Teach farmers how to construct their own balance >>sheets and record farm incomes and expenses in their Farm Record Books. >>Train farmers in developing a farm-specific business plan. >> >>Marketing Training: Train farmers and local trainers in basic marketing >>tools and marketing plan development. >> >>Training of Regional Trainers: Improve local trainers' understanding of farm >>financial management concepts (i.e., record keeping, farm planning, >>financial forecasting and business plan development) and agricultural >>marketing and sales principles. >> >>Veterinarian Services Organizational Development: Train managers on how to >>develop a pricelist for services and products, a marketing plan for expanded >>distribution of veterinarian services and budgets for new services/products. >> >>Milk Production Management: Train cooperative members in basic techniques >>of rotational grazing, herd health, and optimizing milk production. >> >> >>If you are interested in any of these assignments, please contact: >> >>For Ukraine/Belarus: Dan Hadley ([log in to unmask]) >>For Ukraine/Belarus: Kristina Gribovskaja ([log in to unmask]) >>For Moldova: Tim White ([log in to unmask]) >>For Southern Africa: Andrea Lima ([log in to unmask]) >> >>CNFA >>1111 19th Street N.W. #900 >>Washington D.C. 20036 >>1-888-872-2632 toll free >>202-296-3920 >>202-296-3948 fax >>www.cnfa.org >> >>We would be happy to provide you with more information on CNFA and/or the >>projects! >> >>Thank you. >> >> >>Kristina Gribovskaja >>Program Coordinator >>CNFA >>1111 19th St., NW, Suite 900 >>Washington, DC 20036 >>tel: 1-888-872-2632 >>tel: 202-296-3920 >>fax: 202-296-3948 >>www.cnfa.org > >Debra M. Heleba >Land Link Vermont >Center for Sustainable Agriculture >at the University of Vermont >590 Main Street >Burlington, VT 05405 >(802) 656-0233 >http://www.uvm.edu/landlinkvt