Volunteer Posts
The essence of our liberty
July 3, 2017
Happy 4th of July! As we celebrate Independence Day in the US, Winrock’s Volunteer Programs team is thinking about one of the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans: the freedom to give back. Volunteerism is not a requirement, yet many Americans actively choose to serve in their own communities, by tutoring local schoolchildren, participating in city clean-ups, mentoring […]
A Humbling and Rewarding Experience in Bangladesh
June 27, 2017
I would like to share how my Winrock International USAID-funded Farmer to Farmer (F2F) volunteer assignment was one of much excitement and full of very rewarding humbling experiences. One experience stands out as a professional one that led to a career culminating experience for me that I would like to share in this blog. The […]
Farmer-to-Farmer and Peace Corps Volunteers Help Goat Farmers in Nepal
June 20, 2017
Okadi Goat Raising Group reached out to our Farmer-to-Farmer team in Nepal for training on Artificial Insemination technologies and practices. They wanted to target their group members/goat farmers, local service providers, and extension workers to improve their youth-focused goat breeding program in Syangja, Nepal. Dr. Bill Foxworth of Texas Prairie View A&M University facilitated the 6-day training program, which […]
In Guinea, West Africa: Lessons from the Land
June 11, 2017
Fruit and vegetable production is fundamental to food security and economic development in rural Guinea and efficient irrigation practices are vital for producers. Today’s blog comes from volunteer David Speidel, who trained members of the Microenterprise of Fruits and Vegetables Producers of Boulliwel in Guinea on water management and drip irrigation. David shares his reflections […]
Improved Training and Services for Small-Scale Farmers in Nigeria
June 8, 2017
Constrained by a lack of resources, public extension services in Nigeria fall far short of the goal of one extension agent for every 800 farmers. In this context, agribusinesses and social enterprises like Babban Gona play a key role in expanding small-scale farmers’ access to training. Babban Gona (“Great Farm” in Hausa), an innovative agricultural […]
Through the Eyes of a F2F Recruiter
May 30, 2017
As a Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) recruiter, my role is to find volunteer agriculture experts that can provide the most positive and measurable impacts to our assignments. I receive the greatest job satisfaction hearing about the volunteers’ experiences and reading the updates from the field staff on impacts. However, it isn’t often that recruiters are able to […]
The Kindness of the People of Zaria, Nigeria
May 24, 2017
This week’s blog comes from F2F volunteer, Erin Riley, sharing thoughts from her Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer experience in Nigeria earlier this spring: “As I got off the plane in Lagos, Nigeria the anxiety of what I was about to encounter was enormous. I put on my Winrock hat and pin that would identify me when I […]
Bangladesh: Beautiful Scenery, Cheerful People, and Wonderful Food
May 16, 2017
This week’s blog comes from F2F volunteer, Thomas Sallee, who traveled to Bangladesh to build the capacity of faculty and students from Khulna University Life Science School and Sylhet Agricultural University on advanced statistical analysis in agricultural research. Mr. Sallee is an agricultural economist and a former agent with the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural […]
Investing in Agriculture Education for a Brighter Senegal
May 10, 2017
As we drive into the Horticulture Initiation Center of Ziguinchor, Senegal, I am greeted by a welcome site—students working alongside instructors in a lush, green, and productive garden. Given the number of people employed in agriculture in countries like Senegal, this is a sight far rarer than it should be. As someone who benefited from […]
The Bangla Welcome
May 2, 2017
This week’s blog comes from F2F volunteer, Dr. Peter Flanagan, an experienced professional in ruminant farming, including dairy production and reproduction management (goats, sheep, and cattle). He also has extensive international development experience and has worked in South Sudan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and India. He currently resides in Guam, where he has established a veterinary clinic. […]