Farmer-to-Farmer Volunteer Opportunity: Farm and Agribusiness Management Systems

Volunteer Assignment Duration: 16 days, including travel

Background

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening local agriculture, helping agribusinesses create jobs and linking farmers to markets. Since 1981, it has implemented over 315 integrated dairy, livestock and crops development programs in nearly 80 countries — creating lasting impact by linking farmers, businesses, and the public and private sector in local and global contexts. Land O’Lakes Venture37’s long-standing affiliation with Land O’Lakes, Inc. sets it apart. Land O’Lakes, Inc. is one of America’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives. It supports Land O’Lakes Venture37 project implementation with nearly 100 years of expertise in dairy, animal nutrition, crop inputs and agricultural insights and technologies. This gives Land O’Lakes Venture37 development projects a unique global view of agriculture, food and the power of well-functioning market systems. Land O’Lakes, Inc. supports these efforts as part of its enterprise purpose of Feeding Human Progress at home and around the world.

Program Overview

The Farmer-to-Farmer Inclusive Food Systems (F2F-IFS) program is boosting productivity and profitability of market actors across local food systems in Egypt, Lebanon, and Rwanda by providing targeted, sequenced, and layered volunteer technical assistance. As food systems become more productive and profitable, F2F-IFS is contributing to sustainable, broad-based economic growth within the agricultural sector. F2F-IFS is also facilitating people-to-people exchanges that promote connection and understanding in the global food and agriculture community.

To ensure that food systems are more inclusive and efficient in Egypt, Lebanon, and Rwanda, Land O’Lakes Venture37 is leading a five-year, $7.5 million Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program. Venture37 will complete 181 assignments, which will be specifically designed to make food systems more inclusive and accessible across the three core countries.

Since 1987, Land O’Lakes has sent more than 1,400 U.S. highly qualified volunteers — including 160 of our affiliate Land O’Lakes, Inc. staff and cooperative members — on assignments in 27 countries. As a quality-driven food company, Land O’Lakes, Inc. is uniquely positioned to drive improvements in food safety and quality by offering a broad range of agricultural technical expertise on a voluntary basis, including improved agri-business management, quality assurance, improved policy and regulatory regimes, and production and post-harvest activities. The program is funded through the USAID John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program. F2F initiatives generate rapid, sustained and broad-based economic growth in the agricultural sector. These programs also promote international goodwill, an understanding of U.S. foreign assistance programs, and private involvement in development activities.

Description of Assignment

Problem Statement

Lack of technical and managerial skills is one of the main reasons for poor performance among farmers and agribusinesses. Obtaining farm management skills is very important to ensure the success of farms and agribusinesses. Farm managers should have the skills of decision making, problem solving, analyzing information, evaluating results, organizing, planning, operating machinery & equipment, developing strategies, monitoring and controlling resources (human, assets and financial).

Assignment Scope

The Volunteer will be fielded to Egypt for 16 days to achieve two main tasks. The first task is to provide a consultation to the Mozare3 team on strategy updates, adaptive management, applying recommendations, farm management systems, procurement, and technology transfer of agricultural machinery & equipment. The second task is to introduce a 3-day training course on “Farm and Agribusiness Management Systems” to a group of the Mozare3 team and agriculture specialists.

The goals of the assignment are to:

• Provide the Mozare3 team and agriculture specialists with knowledge, skills, and tools to manage farms efficiently;
• Enhance internal operations in Mozare3 with best practices on strategy, adaptive management, applying recommendations, farmer management systems, procurement, and technology transfer of agricultural machinery and equipment.

Host Profile

Mozare3 is the leading agricultural technology company that works to bring about a radical change in the agricultural sector in Egypt and the Middle East and Africa region by providing financial and non-financial services across the value chain. Mozare3 provides smallholder farmers with access to finance and markets through contract farming that allows farmers to plan, invest, and obtain financing, while also enabling them to gain a reverse view of their agricultural supply chain.

Mozare3 runs a Research and Development (R&D) farm in Cairo-Alexandria desert road to help in improving farming practices for the targeted crops. Additionally, Mozare3 established a training center to introduce capacity building to farmers as well as technicians and agriculture engineers on best practices to produce crops.

Deliverables

Each volunteer must submit a Final Report to the F2F Program, which includes the following sections:

• A summary of tasks and observations from site visits
• A list of 3-5 specific and actionable recommendations for the host organization(s). The recommendations are very important to the program as they are used to track host adoption of recommendations and the impact on hosts’ farms and businesses. These recommendations will be reviewed during the debriefing session with country staff at the end of the assignment and the volunteer may make revisions to them in their Final Report.
• A section listing the assignment objectives above and how they were met or why they were not met.
• A short summary of the assignment with relevant photos that can be shared on various media platforms.

Outreach

Upon return to the United States, the volunteer is requested to communicate his or her F2F experience to their peers and communities. Outlets to share the volunteer experience include home groups (e.g., civic and religious groups, professional associations, etc.), workplace presentations, local newspapers, community or workplace newsletters, personal blogs and social media sites. It is important to give recognition to USAID for funding the F2F IFS program. At least two outreach events are requested and should be communicated to Elizabeth Laferriere ([email protected]). Volunteers will be invited to join a volunteer group through LinkedIn and will receive occasional surveys requesting information about completed outreach activities during each period.

Volunteer Qualifications

The recruited volunteer is expected to have the following skills and qualifications:

• Educational Background: Have a degree in business/farm management or equivalent.
• Proven knowledge and experience in managing farms and agribusinesses 
• Proven previous experience in implementing management systems.
• Experience in training on business/farm management

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is an equal opportunity employer and an organization striving to help global communities thrive through agriculture. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, among other factors. Our culture values a diversity of voices. So bring us your unique experiences, your workstyle, and your dreams — they’ll only make us stronger.

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