What We Do / Farmer to Farmer Program Overview
 

Volunteer Through Farmer-to-Farmer!

Agriculture specialists can make a difference throughout the hemisphere by volunteering their time, skills and expertise. Click to find out more about volunteer opportunities!
 

Improving Economic Opportunity

Partners improves economic opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean by focusing on select agricultural value chains and providing specific technical assistance to farmers, cooperatives, agribusinesses, extension services, government agencies, and other institutions at all levels of these chains. Click here to learn more!

The Partners of the Americas Farmer to Farmer Program provides technical assistance to local agricultural producers, producer organizations, and agribusinesses throughout the region. Through the program, U.S. agricultural volunteers share their knowledge on an individual basis to help increase farm production and farmer incomes while preserving the natural resource base.

The John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer (FTF) Program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). U.S. volunteers participating in Farmer to Farmer spend two to four weeks on assignment working directly with local counterparts in Latin America and the Caribbean to address previously identified local needs. Technical assistance is focused on agricultural commodity chains, from field to market, addressing bottlenecks wherever they are identified. The program targets small and medium scale producers, producer organizations and related enterprises, and emphasizes women and minority participation.

The current program is working primarily in Nicaragua, HaitiGuyana and the Dominican Republic, as well as in other countries throughout the hemisphere (read more about FTF Flex opportunities throughout the hemisphere).  Find out more about how to Volunteer and check out the links to the right to read newsletters and success stories, see photos and find out more about the program.

The program has had an impact throughout the hemisphere.  For example, working with Makouti Agro Enterprise, a producers’ cooperative, the Farmer to Farmer Program helped create economic opportunities in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti. Farmers struggled to make a living off the land and many chose to leave in search of work in the cities.  Then farmers united to form Makouti, which allowed them to pool their resources to overcome obstacles.  Farmer to Farmer volunteers advised the cooperative on financial management, marketing strategies, and packaging and labeling, and more.  As a result, members are now earning two to three times their previous income.  To read more, visit our Succcess Stories page.

 Read volunteer stories and share your comments on the Farmer to Farmer Blog!

 Links to Agricultural Funding Resources and to Agriculture and Environment Websites

 Donate to the Farmer to Farmer Program

 Farmer to Farmer Flex Program

 

    
"This webpage is made possible in part by the generous support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Partners and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.”