2011 Programs

Agribusiness

In the majority of countries where we work, agriculture drives the economy.

We promote agribusiness systems that improve production and link farmers to national, regional and international markets to create economic opportunities and enable rural families to thrive. We also build the capacity of farmers and agribusinesses in business development, input supply, cultivation techniques, post-harvest handling, storage, processing, transportation and marketing. We help farmers use scarce resources responsibly, introducing drought-resistant seeds, careful use of agrochemicals, and effective irrigation, water management and agroforestry techniques. Through industry partnerships, we leverage the resources of private sector stakeholders in commodities like maize and rice, value-added products and specialty crops such as coffee and cocoa.

“I am very grateful to the SCVC program for the opportunity to learn about my coffee farm. I am a farmer, and now I am also a Licensed Q-Grader.” — Member, APROECO Coffee Cooperative, Peru {

Agribusiness

Farmers Sell More, Earn More.

An innovative training program we launched in Rwanda in 2011 has helped farmers grow and sell more of their staple crops to lucrative markets. The Sell More For More (SMFM) training module was developed by ACDI/VOCA under the USAID-funded Rwanda Post-Harvest Handling and Storage Project to help farmer groups practice better post-harvest handling and marketing and meet the high standards of top-quality buyers. SMFM works through farmer-based organizations (FBOs), ranging from informal groups to formal cooperatives; it helps them sell more product by increasing quantity and sell it for more revenue by increasing quality. Through a cascade training approach, ACDI/VOCA provides training on a series of topics ranging from farming practices to business operations to lead farmers, who then teach other FBO members. Training sessions devoted to postharvest handling and storage demonstrate proper cleaning, sorting and storage techniques to ensure high quality and minimize loss. Participatory workshops teach leadership, marketing, recordkeeping and operations skills to cooperative leaders. And cooperatives receive one-on-one consultations on credit to address financial needs. SMFM improves the ability of FBOs to meet the specifications of the most demanding buyers, including those of the U.N. World Food Program (WFP), which is one of the most stringent buyers of staple crops. In Rwanda, FBOs that completed SMFM training met 100 percent of WFP’s quality standards for maize purchases, and WFP began sourcing maize from them under its Purchase for Progress initiative. Selling to WFP sends a strong message to other buyers, and the FBOs’ profits are rising as they form new business relationships with private sector enterprises. Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture has adopted SMFM training for its agricultural extension workers and other staff. Indeed, the program has proved so successful that we are expanding it to Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana.

Community Development

We implement community-driven and community-based programs that foster stability

and set the stage for long-term development in environments that have been disrupted by natural disasters, conflict or social tensions. We work with citizens and local governments to encourage democracy and good governance, and design initiatives that build human and institutional capacity, improve access to public services, create jobs and enhance stewardship of natural resources. Under challenging circumstances, we help communities work together to prioritize and address their needs. We promote investments in the next generation of leaders, particularly in high-unemployment countries with significant youth bulges, providing hope to youth by building their skills and linking them to local job markets.

“ACDI/VOCA’s project has been quite important to our life at the village. And as the reserve’s governor, I’m deeply impressed by how the coffee crops have changed during these years. The coffee was sold and the people working with the project have the supplies that they need…and this has made our people stronger.” — Kogui Reserve governor, Colombia {

Community Development

Building a Foundation of Trust.

In 2011, five days of summer camp in northern Iraq proved the bonds of friendship can be stronger than the fetters of prejudice, even in conflict-torn Iraq. In June, a multiethnic group of one hundred young men and women learned how to get along with each other and participated in their first democratic elections at a summer camp for youth. ACDI/VOCA organized the camp through the USAID/Iraq Community Action Program to provide youth in this troubled area with the opportunity to learn about democratic elections, build teamwork and cooperation skills, and overcome religious and ethnic hostilities. The participants came from Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen and Assyrian communities.

The camp was led by Iraqi facilitators and Ministry of Youth and Sports staff in a partnership designed to instill qualities associated with responsible self-governance and to help the Ministry expand its resources for youth programming. The campers took part in teambuilding activities that emphasized inclusion and leadership. Other activities included team sports, a day of hiking and picnicking, and lots of traditional dancing. Democratic elections for camp governor taught transparency and accountability in voting. The winner was a young Kurdish woman, and her deputy governor was a young Arab man. Even though they represented divergent political and religious interests, they formed a team. And the close voting (the deputy governor won by one vote) demonstrated the value placed on the candidates’ platforms and the weight and importance of each individual vote. This roundly successful experience has set a precedent for cooperation among the youth in Diyala, so they can build a democratic future and foster greater understanding among all communities within the province.