Every Thursday morning at 9:00 CST (that’s 3 PM in Guinea) a Skype call originates from Winrock’s headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas and connects staff in the US with colleagues in Guinea. The weekly discussion of volunteer assignments and logistical arrangements is often accompanied by the sounds of birds chirping and Conakry traffic in the background. The dedicated and professional individuals on the far end of that call are the reason why so many volunteers who have traveled there before are eager to return to Guinea.

the F2F Guinea team

If you haven’t had the opportunity to go to Guinea and work with Winrock International’s outstanding Farmer-to-Farmer staff, you can read a little about each of them below: (more…)

Today’s blog post comes from F2F volunteer Gurbinder Gill:

I have grown up in one of the nearest neighboring countries to Nepal but had never been before. My first volunteer work was with the Winrock (USAID-funded) Asia Farmer-to-Farmer Program.  I visited many places and people during this assignment period and consulted with private seed companies. I assessed how the seed companies can contribute to the country’s prosperity by increasing productivity and profitability of agricultural products.  It was much more a learning experience to know that Nepal has a great opportunity to make available, accessible and adequate quality seeds to benefit farmers through the collaborative approach of public private partnerships. The first trip became an avenue for my next trip to Nepal, and now, this will be my third visit. I am really excited to say that volunteering opens a window of opportunities. I would like to thank the Winrock International Asia F2F program for providing this unique opportunity.

–Gurbinder Singh Gill, Agri Business Management Specialist and F2F Volunteer

F2F volunteer Gurbinder Gill providing guidance to staff of an agribusiness in Nepal

“It has been rewarding to work with producers that are enthusiastic about learning new practices that may assist them improve their socioeconomic wellbeing. I am hopeful some of what I offered will result in real improvements in the emerging Myanmar avocado industry. It is rewarding to see the collaboration of the leadership at MFFVPEA, Winrock-Myanmar, and USAID tangibly move Myanmar’s agriculture (and for me the avocado sector) forward.

Volunteering to offer educational programs to producers with less developed industries is rewarding because the potential impact could have real immediate and mid-term and long-term results that move their industry forward. To know you may have had some small part in facilitating the development of a relatively new industry is rewarding.”

–Dr. Jonathan Crane, Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer in Burma

From Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer Daniel Miller recently provided training on improved small ruminant farming practices for goat farmers in Burma (also known as Myanmar). In today’s blog post, Dan describes some of the things he saw and experienced in country:

“Burma has some of the most interesting experiences that someone could wish for.  The Delta area is well worth the effort of traveling there and sailing around to understand how people make their living, how conditions influence the possibilities, and how potential changes could affect both the environment and the people who depend on it for their very livelihood.

The Delta is the mouth of the Ayerwaddy and encompasses numerous islands that are accessible only by boat.  These islands are big enough for whole communities to live and grow crops, primarily rice.  Because of the ever-present water, tractors just aren’t practical, and water buffalo are the beasts of burden best adapted to work there.  Besides, the mind sort of boggles at the thought of hauling a tractor in a canoe and then unloading it.  Aside: if you ever get the chance to take boat rides through the area, the point at which you are in most peril is not when you are actually going somewhere.  The most dangerous moment is when you are trying to get into or out of the boat without slipping and falling into the mud.

students loading onto a boat

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