This week’s blog comes from Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) volunteer, David Ringuette. Mr. Ringuette owns and manages Serikaku Farm Ltd., a 15-acre family farm located in Hawaii which produces cacao, banana, lychee, breadfruit, and star fruit. Mr. Ringuette is a retired agriculture coordinator and professor who taught IPM, pesticide safety, plant propagation, irrigation, and soil management. Since retiring, Mr. Ringuette has successfully completed 11 F2F volunteer assignments, many of which have focused on IPM and production of tropical fruits. He has provided volunteer assistance in East and West Africa, Kyrgyzstan, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and now Myanmar.

In September 2017, I had the opportunity to work on a Farmer to Farmer Assignment in Myanmar. The Farmer to Farmer program is funded by USAID and implemented in Myanmar by Winrock International.

During my 2 weeks in country I worked with citrus growers in southern Shan State on implementing IPM practices. It is a very mountainous area where avocados, tea, and coffee are also commercially grown. These crops were developed as a substitution for poppies. The 77 farmers were eager to learn new pest control strategies. I covered citrus nutrient deficiencies, monitoring techniques, grafting, pruning, physical control, biological control, and use of chemicals.

Like everywhere in the world there were some farmers’ orchards that were in great shape and some needed substantial work, especially pruning. Most farmers did not know the difference between a fungus and bacteria and often applied one chemical for control of everything. One orange grower from Kaungbo village in Yaksauk noted, “We decided to apply a chemical (no matter it is) whenever we saw a problem in our plant. After Winrock F2F’s training on IPM, we understand the need to think and inspect the cause- nutritional deficiency? disease? insect? fungus?”

Teaching farmers how to graft (lining up cambium layers)

Interestingly, farmers told me that there was more money to be made in citrus than any other orchard crop. They wanted to stick with citrus even with some severe disease pressure. Many orchards were intercropped with tea, tomato, garlic, ginger, or mango. I did not understand the mango/citrus system and it seemed to me there was too much resource competition to be successful. The mango usually out competed the citrus. The garlic, ginger, and tomato system lead to deep cultivation and most likely led to root diseases. The system I thought had good potential was tea and citrus. I did discuss with them about chemical application in a 2-crop system.

Discussing pruning in the orchard

The people of Myanmar are very hospitable and accommodating. The lead farmer always had his wife prepare wonderful food for lunch for me and farmers gave me enough tea to start a tea shop. I was also never allowed to carry my bag. I hope, in the future, to return to Myanmar and once again work with these wonderful people.

All of the trainees (I am the one above the Winrock logo). For most of the trainees, I was the first American they have met.

After Mr. Ringuette’s assignment, he expressed, “The growers were very enthusiastic throughout the training. They asked good questions and expressed a sincere willingness to implement the techniques explained. Many farmers inquired about the purchase of pruning tools.” 

I recently spent four months as a long-term volunteer working with Winrock’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Team in Myanmar. This was my first time working as a volunteer for Winrock International. From the start, I was impressed at how well organized Winrock’s team was with logistics and making sure everything was smooth throughout the duration of my assignment.

During my assignment, I worked with the MEL Team and the project staff to review indicators for monitoring and evaluating the progress of the Value Chains for Rural Development project. M&E is an important function of a project and can serve as its backbone as it provides useful information about how the project is doing (e.g. what things are going well, what things are not going well, whether the project is on target in reaching expected milestones and outcomes, and where adjustments should be made). Ultimately, the information that is collected through M&E helps to tell the story of how Winrock’s Value Chains for Rural Development project is helping to improve the livelihoods of the rural farmers that are being reached.

It was exciting to already see positive results of the Value Chains for Rural Development project. Through agricultural training and demonstration farms, Winrock is working with farmers to raise the quality and quantity of their yields and ultimately their household incomes. The project has catalyzed and strengthened the mobilization of farmers into groups and associations, giving them a collective voice to express their wants and concerns and advocate to the government for the regulation of agrochemical companies, to hold them accountable to provide proper extension services, and control pricing and quality of chemical products. The Farmer Groups help farmers to bargain for better prices to purchase seeds, input, and equipment. The Value Chains for Rural Development project is also focusing on finding and establishing new market opportunities while helping to establish clear grades and standards that will create transparency around the prices that farmers receive for their produce.

Farmer Field School for Sesame Farmers

Farmer Field School lesson about pollinators and pests

One of the goals of my work was to standardize and simplify measurement and reporting across the five value chains that Winrock is working in, which include soybeans, melons, sesame, ginger, and coffee. Even though there are many similarities across these value chains, there are also big differences between the crops, such as the number of harvests in a year, input costs, amount of labor required, and the quantity and value of the yields. These details need to be accounted for to ensure that the data collected is thorough, reliable, and valid. In preparation for the project’s upcoming annual evaluation, the MEL team and I designed the survey questionnaires to ensure that the right questions are asked and tailor them to be appropriate for each value chain. After putting together the questionnaires, we headed out to the fields to test the questionnaires with the farmers. The process of field-testing the questionnaires highlighted the challenges of working in another language and the need to make sure that the wording of questions is as simple as possible and understandable when translated. Field-testing the surveys also revealed differences in reality versus theory. The feedback provided by the farmers was essential for modifying and finalizing the questions.

Female farmers weeding by hand

Myanmar is a beautiful country with warm-hearted people who are eager to learn and grow. The country is developing rapidly with conveniences and familiarity provided by global companies like Uber, Coffee Bean, KFC, and even Hard Rock Cafe. Trying to negotiate a fare and tell the taxi driver where you want to go used to be one of the most intimidating things about getting around town but now you can simply use an app. There is even an app to have food delivered by bicycle courier to your door. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of working as a volunteer with Winrock and plan to return to Myanmar to do another assignment soon.

Our Nepal Farmer-to-Farmer staff have nominated, Dr. William (Bill) Foxworth, as the November Volunteer of the Month, because he is a “highly skillful, flexible volunteer and adjusted his hands-on training sessions for the assignment to best utilize locally available equipment and resources in Nepal.” Dr. Foxworth is the reproductive physiologist at the International Goat Research Center at Texas A&M University and is responsible for Artificial Insemination (AI) training at the center. He has also worked extensively in reproductive technology transfer in Africa and Latin America for both cattle and goats for more than 25 years. During his assignment, he conducted training for Okadi Goat Raising Group members, local service providers, and extension workers on AI technologies and practices to improve a youth-targeted goat breeding program. Sushil, one of training participants and Government of Nepal Extension Officer explained, “F2F volunteer William’s contribution is crucial for the country’s context in goat breeding and increased production.” After the training, Sushil facilitated AI in more than 150 goats, doubling the conception rate from their AI operations. Bill shares his thoughts below about his Farmer-to-Farmer experience. 

Why did you want to volunteer?

As a research scientist, my goal has been to develop technologies that assist with livestock reproduction. Improvement in breeding technology leads to more efficient animal production and greater number of offspring. This is a foundation for feeding more people worldwide and that is my true aim. Volunteering in Nepal afforded me the opportunity to enhance the knowledge base in goat reproduction in a country that relies so heavily on the goat.

Photo from Dr. Foxorth’s training on Artificial Insemination

What was the highlight of your most recent volunteer assignment abroad?

For me, the highlight was generating the discussion of how to disseminate this reproduction technology in a manner that would best benefit the people of Nepal.

What made your Winrock volunteer trip distinctive?

Winrock’s infrastructure made the trip work seamlessly. Every step of the way was meticulously planned out with some flexibility and that allowed me to focus on giving my presentations and training sessions. It also allowed me to delve more deeply into the culture through the in country representatives, making my presentations better because I had intimate insight into my audience.

How does your experience affect your world view?

I have had the opportunity to work all over the world and each country I work in presents a new set of challenges from culture to infrastructure. Nepal presented me with a view of a country, that while being smaller in size and geographically highly varied, was a crossroads for several cultures and religions. Seeing their efforts to deal with their differences gives me insight into my own multicultural world and, hopefully, I impart it to my students, colleagues, friends, and family.

What advice would you give a new volunteer?

Enjoy your time. Utilize the in country experts to understand the people and cultures. Ask lots of questions. This will help you tailor your presentations and maximize the benefits to the audience.

How have your assignments made a difference in your own life?/Has your assignment caused you to do anything differently once you returned?

Working in Nepal, with the lack of some infrastructure and the availability of certain products, reminded me of the need to be flexible and resourceful. After returning, I was reinvigorated to work on and develop strategies for transferring agriculture technologies in global locations that may not have all of the energy or product availability that we have.

Why should people consider volunteering?

It is a truly rewarding experience. For me, having the opportunity to help people improve their ability to produce food and provide better foodstuffs to their fellow man, allows me to directly contribute to helping put food on someone’s plate.

How do you feel about the support from Winrock, whether before, during or after your assignments?

The staff, both here in the US and in Nepal, were of great help. I have a pretty hectic schedule every day and they took care of all the travel and logistics allowing me to focus my preparations on my presentations. Not speaking the language, I had some trepidation, but the staff in Nepal, and a well placed Peace Corp volunteer, made my communications flawless with the local communities. I must say, one of the unsung heroes in my time in Nepal was my driver. We were frequently on some white knuckle roads and his skill at maneuvering the mountainside allowed me to relax and enjoy the view.

Dr. Foxworth with Peace Corps volunteer, Garland Mason.

When your friends/family find out that your volunteer assignment aboard, what do they say or ask?

The first question almost everyone asks is, “How cold was it?” Everyone imagines that Nepal is all like the base camp on Mt. Everest. They don’t realize that geographically it goes from low tropical jungle to the highest point in the world. The temperatures in the areas where we were working, Pokhara and Waling, were very pleasant in March. I will admit, while looking over the edge of some of the roads on which we were driving, I felt like I was on the side of Mt. Everest.

What do you do when you’re not volunteering?

I am a research scientist at the International Goat Research Center, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas. I conduct research with goats in an effort to improve their reproductive efficiency, with an end goal of disseminating the information to limited resource farmers around the world.

Does anyone in your life play a role in supporting your involvement? In providing inspiration?

My family supports me by giving me the time to pursue my goals of helping others around the world. They cover my responsibilities at home while I am gone and I am eternally grateful for that.

Do you keep in touch with your host organization? [Host organizations are the organizations that receive volunteer support]

I am in touch by e-mail on occasion, but I am in regular communication by Facebook. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a post about people doing something related to the training we did.

How do you feel that your volunteer assignment has contributed to create a shared understanding across different cultures through person-to-person interactions?

My family is of blended cultures and I have had the opportunity to be educated in Japan and work in Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Each time I encounter a different culture, it reminds me that we are a diverse people. Working with individuals in Nepal offered me first hand insight to the unique cultures in Nepal and they added greatly to my understanding of the world, especially in a country that serves as a crossroad to many cultures. This experience also offered me insight into my own work and how best to present my knowledge in a manner that could serve this unique community.

You can read more about Dr. Foxworth’s volunteer assignment and Farmer-to-Farmer’s cooperation with Peace Corps in Nepal in this previous blog post. 

Closing ceremony after Dr. Foxworth’s trainings.

This week’s blog comes from, Dr. James Anderson III, Assistant Professor of Community & Economic Development at the University of Wisconsin- Extension. 

In May 2017, I had the privilege of traveling to Bangladesh for my first international volunteer assignment through Winrock International. My assignment was to work with the Bangladesh Department of Youth Development to develop an entrepreneurship curriculum. The assignment was through the Farmer-to-Farmer Program funded by USAID.

I had no idea what to expect during my visit. I knew Bangladesh has a large population of about 160 million people, and is roughly the size of the U.S. state, Iowa. I also knew that while the economy was growing, as the economy transitions to more manufacturing from being primarily agriculture… the economy was also struggling to create enough jobs for citizens. This was the basis for my statement of work, to develop a curriculum that the Department of Youth Development can use to help people that it provides vocational and technical training to transition to self-employment and entrepreneurship.

The first week of my visit was dedicated to conducting a needs assessment. During this time Dr. S.M.S Rahman, from the Dhaka Winrock International office, guided me through Jessore, Rangpur, Khulna, and Dhaka. We visited Department of Youth Development residential training facilities, Youth Training Centers, and entrepreneurs who started their businesses after receiving training. These entrepreneurs were operating relatively new businesses, the youngest business being about two years old and the most mature being close to five years old.

While Bangladesh and Superior, Wisconsin, where I live, are half a world apart, I was struck by the common issues entrepreneurs experience. For aspiring entrepreneurs, access to capital was the number one identified issue during our visits. Entrepreneurs and students at the training centers were surprised when I indicated access to capital is a challenge in the United States as well. In addition, I was surprised by the commonalities the farmers in Bangladesh experience compared to farmers in Wisconsin and the United States.

We visited dairy, goat, poultry, and field crop farms; as well as textiles businesses. The farms all indicated the same market pressures – increasing input costs (seed, feed, fertilizer, labor, etc.), and reduced market rates for their product (e.g., milk and rice). Our farms in Wisconsin are experiencing the very same issues. We sometimes think that market forces only influence ourselves and neighbors, but clearly we share many of the same challenges globally.

Dr. Anderson during a field visit

During week two, I revised the curriculum based on the needs assessment data from week one. I then presented the curriculum to the Department of Youth Development, part of the Ministry of Youth & Sports. Following feedback from the department and another round of revisions, I offered a two-day seminar to trainers from the department. One of my lessons learned from teaching and supporting entrepreneurs in the United States is that the training needs to be very applied and hands-on. We spent much of our time together going over the activities that were contained in the curriculum, and the learning opportunities from those activities.

Dr. Anderson with the trainers from DYD

Now that I am back home, I have had time to reflect on this very busy, yet rewarding trip to Bangladesh. I am struck by the friendliness of the people that I met. I have been afforded the opportunity to travel a lot for personal and educational reasons. I don’t believe I’ve ever traveled anywhere where everyone I met was so welcoming and friendly. My final observation while reflecting on this trip is the nature of resiliency in the people of Bangladesh. Research concerning the common traits of successful entrepreneurs often includes the word resiliency or something very similar. I have no doubt that many people in Bangladesh who aspire to be entrepreneurs and self-employed possess the core trait of resiliency. The economy has challenged many families and individuals, yet there is incredible optimism that they can and will improve circumstances for themselves and their country.

Winrock’s September Volunteers of the Month are dynamic duo, Dr. Jonathan Deenik and Dr. Glen Fukumoto. They both come from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and volunteered together this summer in Myanmar, providing training to 77 farmers in Hmawbi Township on soil quality improvement techniques, including soil fertility management and composting using poultry and livestock manure. Our Country Director, Dr. Ai, notes that these two volunteers have “strong technical expertise, high cultural sensitivity, the ability to adapt to and understand local  farmers’ needs, an impressive teaching style, and complimentary qualities to form an effective team.” Jonathan and Glen have volunteered together in Myanmar three times and Dr. Ai explains that because of their work “our program has received positive impacts beyond our expectations; the trainees love them, respect them, and continue to request their return.” To learn more about the technical aspects of their assignment, check out our recent blog post.

We asked Dr. Deenik and Dr. Fukumoto to reflect on their experiences as Farmer-to-Farmer volunteers. Their responses are below:

Why did you want to volunteer?
Deenik: Volunteering is an important part of my life. I volunteer regularly in community work days, taking care of agricultural land in my community of West Oahu. This commitment to volunteerism was solidified by my 5-years as a Peace Corps volunteer (1985-1991).

What was the highlight of your most recent volunteer assignment abroad?
Fukumoto: The resourcefulness of the host-farmer and the support in coordinating an unplanned demonstration on building a composting unit as part of the workshop session. The host asked what was needed for the demonstration and gathered all the materials – carbon source, nitrogen source, local materials used to build the compost bins and aeration pipes, within 24-hours. During the day of the demonstration, he assigned a small farm crew to work with me in setting up the area and prepare the materials for the demonstration.

What made your Winrock volunteer trip distinctive?
Deenik: This was my third volunteer assignment in Myanmar. The growth, deepening, and fruition of our special relationship with the Myanmar staff, especially Dr. TK and Dr. Ai, is DISTINCTIVE and immensely rewarding.

Dr. Deenik delivering his training with the help of Dr. TK

How does your experience affect your world view?
Deenik: Our work with Winrock in Myanmar provides a unique opportunity to experience what life is like for Myanmar people from a wide range of perspectives – farmers, educators, civil servants, students…. Through these personal interactions, we see the uniqueness of their situations, but also recognize that we all face similar experiences, and thus we better appreciate the notion we are a “global family.” Maya Angelou expresses this most eloquently in her poem “Human Family.”

Fukumoto: The Winrock F2F volunteer experience makes you realize how little we know of the world. The country borders are not simply lines on a map, but are a place rich in traditions, culture and different values and the struggles and triumphs of its people. Through the farmer-to-farmer program we develop relationships with the people and their community, with hopes of advancing and improving environmental quality, or food production, or the individual lives that we touch. At the same time, these assignments enrich ourselves with new friends and knowledge of a new place on this planet.

What advice would you give a new volunteer?
Deenik: Practice humility and patience, and above all have fun.

Fukumoto: Before your trip, read all the information sent out by your Winrock recruiter, heed all safety and medical advice, read as much as you can about the country and your related assignment and keep an open mind. While in country being respectful, being humble, and learning a few words of greetings in the host country language goes a long way, and don’t forget to enjoy the journey.

How have your assignments made a difference in your own life?/Has your assignment caused you to do anything differently once you returned?
Deenik: My life experience is enriched with each assignment, where I meet and learn from so many people. These experiences continue to humble me and reinforce the essential need to be tolerant and patient, but also intentional.

Fukumoto: The assignments, especially in the rural agricultural settings, make you realize that many of your personal challenges and struggles are quite minor compared to daily struggles of the lives of the people we engage with. Living a simple life can be more fulfilling than climbing the ladder of success in our hectic and complex lives. On the first assignment, several volunteers embarked on the Yangon Circular Train (it’s a must for the first-time visitor to Yangon). You get the essence of the life in Myanmar and the warm hearts of the people. Nearing the end of the loop ride a nice gentleman, most likely a daily commuter on the train, greeted a colleague and followed with a simple question, “Are you happy?” Often in our busy lives we never think about our state of mind … but now I think about it more than before … and yes, I am happy.

Why should people consider volunteering?
Deenik: Volunteering with Winrock promotes the effective transfer of knowledge to communities who have requested technical assistance. It also allows volunteers to broaden their world view through meaningful human interaction.

How do you feel about the support from Winrock?
Deenik: The Winrock staff here in the U.S. and in Myanmar have provided stellar support. The assignments are well-researched and address a grass-roots community need, which makes for a meaningful and rewarding experience.

Fukumoto: I would go anywhere in the world with the support of Winrock. The F2F program staff, from the preparation, arrangements, guidance/logistics and de-briefing by the recruiters, to the support from the field office professionals, are simply outstanding. Knowing you have the support/safety net in the background and the hard working and knowledgeable field staff, allows you to focus on the assignment. After the hard work is done, opportunities are provided for you to learn and discover the culture and the arts, the history, and modern life of the host country.

Dr. Fukumoto with the compost building crew. ““The support of the host farm was phenomenal. I was in awe of the connectivity of the farming community in gathering all the materials needed for the demo.”

When your friends/family find out that your volunteer assignment aboard, what do they say or ask?
Deenik: They are always curious and interested in this part of my work. Recently, I spent more than 4 hours sharing pictures of my assignments in Myanmar and Guinea with my 93 year old aunt. She was fascinated.

Fukumoto: Where is Myanmar? Why are you going? Is it safe? How’s the food?

How do you feel that your volunteer assignment has contributed to create a shared understanding across different cultures through person-to-person interactions?
Fukumoto: The Farmer-to-Farmer program and the outreach activities of interpreted workshop presentation and demonstrations has allowed us to share our ideas, best management practices, and farmer adoption/implementation examples from our work experiences. These experiences provide evidence/reinforcement that the presentations are not simply theoretical, but have practical/proven applications with successful results. Farmers understand and believe other farmers more than from academia; but by blending academia and direct farmer experiences, I believe, it brings a greater understanding of the principles and applications of the topics in the assignment.

The visits with the host farmers are extremely valuable. The farm view through the eyes of the farmer provide a grounded understanding of the their issues and challenges of production, environmental concerns, marketing, and other local constraints that impact their operations.

What keeps you going back to volunteer?
Fukumoto: Genuine interest in sharing my knowledge and experiences in tropical livestock systems that can potentially increase farmers and livestock organizations knowledge and understanding, which I hope can lead to successes in the field for improved sustainability, productivity and a healthy ecosystem.