CNFA Names Patricia Costa as Vice President of Program Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), an international agricultural development organization based in Washington, D.C., announced Patricia Costa as its new vice president of Program Development. Costa started her new role on November 1, 2022, after previously working as the organization’s associate vice president of Program Development.

Costa brings more than 15 years of experience working with the public and private sectors to improve food security, competitiveness, and workforce development. In her role as vice president, Costa will lead CNFA’s program development process, including the development of strategic partnerships, as well as the strategic direction and design of CNFA’s agricultural market systems development programs.

“Costa’s strong research-driven background combined with her solid experience in developing partnerships—specifically between the public and private sectors—to drive economic and environmentally sustainable growth make her uniquely qualified to drive our program development efforts,” said CNFA President and CEO Sylvain Roy.

Prior to joining CNFA, Costa worked at Mathematica, a social science research firm, where she led evaluations and business development efforts related to agriculture, workforce development, clean energy, private sector investment and public-private partnerships. Before that, Costa worked at Abt Associates where she led business development efforts focused on international economic growth.

“I have long admired CNFA for their mission and the tremendous talent that they bring to the table,” said Costa. “As I transition into the role of vice president, I hope to continue this pattern of success, to bring together diverse views and perspectives and to inspire my team to be versatile, collaborative and agile. I look forward to establishing complementary partnerships that further our mission and deepen our work with the private sector.”

In addition to her work with the Program Development team, Costa leads CNFA’s net zero activities, which are designed to reduce the organization’s emissions and waste, and to integrate climate-smart solutions into its program designs.

Costa began her career in the renewable energy sector before working in agriculture and has since supported communities from Mozambique to Morocco to improve their environmental sustainability and food security. Costa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and a Master of Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Costa is a native Spanish speaker and is fluent in French and German. She also has a basic understanding of Portuguese.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. CNFA works with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since its inception in 1985, CNFA has designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), based in Washington, D.C., and the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University, based in Ames, Iowa, have formalized their collaboration by signing a memorandum of understanding during the World Food Prize Foundation’s 2022 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue.

Sylvain Roy, chief executive officer and president of CNFA, and Dr. Manjit K. Misra, director of the Seed Science Center, signed the memorandum on October 18, 2022. As partners, CNFA and the Seed Science Center will combine strengths to address the growing food insecurity around the world.

“This agreement brings together CNFA and the Seed Science Center’s complementary strengths of agricultural market systems development and scientific research to improve the productivity and resilience of the world’s seed supply,” said Mr. Roy. “This comes at a much-needed time, with the impacts of conflicts, COVID-19 and natural disasters putting strain on local and global food systems. This partnership will innovate approaches that can address crises quickly and sustainably, and reduce the effects of disruptions to food production, food distribution and market systems.”

“Seed is the foundation of agriculture. Developing the capacity of regional, national and local seed systems to conduct research, generate technology, formulate science-based policy and raise awareness on the importance of quality seed is the mission of Iowa State’s Seed Science Center,” said Dr. Misra. “This partnership with CNFA brings synergy to our mission and provides solutions to the grand challenges of food and nutrition security across the globe.”

The agreement between CNFA and the Seed Science Center outlines how the two organizations will collaborate to improve seed availability, quality and testing. It also describes how they will expand the supply and distribution of seeds and other inputs, especially in places where food security is under threat.

For more information on CNFA and the Seed Science Center, please visit www.CNFA.org or https://www.seeds.iastate.edu/

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. CNFA works with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since its inception in 1985, CNFA has designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries.

About the Seed Science Center: The Seed Science Center, housed at Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Ames, Iowa, improves the production, quality assurance, marketing, utilization and regulatory environment of seed through research, testing, teaching, outreach and international programs. Many of the roughly 800 private seed companies in the United States rely on tests conducted by this world-renowned Center to support claims about the quality and performance of their products. Over the past 20 years, the Center has implemented programs to improve seed research and innovation, enterprise development, policy and regulation, and the general capacity of seed systems in 79 countries.

Contact:

publicrelations@cnfa.org, CNFA

lulurod@iastate.edu, Seed Science Center, Iowa State University

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The USAID-funded John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program (F2F), implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), is partnering with the James H. Small Business Catalyst Fund (JHSBCF) to strengthen 13 F2F host organizations in Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. JHSBCF is a philanthropic entity that supports organizations around the globe to build resilience and grow their operations by improving competitiveness and sustainability, strengthening business management, enhancing market access and increasing networking and partnerships.

“The collaboration between JHSBCF and F2F builds on our shared objective of improving incomes and food security, particularly in communities vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and stressors,” said Marjatta Eilittä, Program Director of the CNFA-implemented F2F. “The partnership will also help F2F achieve its main goal of driving economic growth through agricultural development.”

The initial eight grants, valued at $50,000, aim to increase agricultural productivity, improve the quality of crops and effectively support agribusinesses to build resilience against the impacts of climate change. Through the partnership, JHSBCF will establish a joint procurement fund with CNFA and coordinate the selection of grantees, while F2F will procure grant equipment and implement volunteer assignments that contribute to the success of the selected host organizations.

“Each host organization, all of which are affiliated with CNFA’s F2F program, will employ unique and innovative solutions to help grow their business, from expanding poultry production to purchasing value-adding post-harvest processing equipment,” said Dr. James H. Small, President of JHSBCF. “Ultimately, we look forward to the successful outcomes of this partnership, particularly through F2F volunteer assignments aimed at helping hosts effectively utilize and maintain their new grant equipment.”

“We anticipate that the targeted support provided by Dr. Small to the 13 selected cooperatives, associations and agribusinesses will result in a boost of productivity and product quality, thereby improving access to markets, sales and incomes,” said Eilittä.

CNFA currently implements the F2F Program in Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Moldova. The five-year program (2018-2023) aims to connect mid-to senior-level U.S. volunteer experts with farmer groups, agribusinesses, trade associations, agricultural finance providers and other agriculture sector institutions to facilitate sustainable improvements in food security and agricultural processing, production and marketing. Experts interested in volunteering for F2F can visit CNFA’s Volunteer page here or contact f2frecruitment@cnfa.org for more information.

The U.S. Agency for International Development administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

The USAID-funded Southern Africa and Moldova Farmer-to-Farmer Program (F2F) is building on its successful Ambassador Program to increase F2F’s visibility in communities around the U.S. and draw new volunteers to the program.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Following the success of its pilot Ambassador Program, the USAID-funded John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter F2F Program, implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) in Southern Africa and Moldova, introduced its second cohort of  F2F Ambassadors. Launched in 2021, the Ambassador Program leverages the expertise of seasoned F2F volunteers to network, engage and encourage individuals and organizations in their communities to join the F2F Program.

“F2F Ambassadors bring extensive technical expertise in topics ranging from agronomy and veterinary medicine to business development, finance, education, communications and marketing, and are thereby able to reach diverse networks of potential volunteers,” said Marjatta Eilittä, Program Director of the CNFA-implemented F2F.

The first Ambassador cohort included six volunteers from Oregon, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina and West Virginia. The five new Ambassadors are: Wayne Burleson, a Montana-based Extension Master Gardener and 2017 F2F Volunteer of the Year with 14 years of F2F volunteer experience; Brent Van Dyke, a farmer and past president at the National Association of Conservation Districts from New Mexico who has volunteered with F2F since 1997; Ann Young, a Minnesota-based accounting and finance specialist who has volunteered with F2F since 2008; Dr. William “Bill” Hitz, a Delaware-based agriculture professional with 36 years of experience at DuPont and DuPont/Pioneer and five years of experience as a CNFA volunteer; and Louise Swartzwalder, a journalist and food entrepreneur from Ohio who has volunteered with F2F since 1996.

“Ambassadors have in-depth experience providing volunteer technical assistance to host organizations across the globe, making them ideal messengers to increase F2F’s visibility and support prospective volunteers seeking to join the program,” said Nadejda Mocanu, CNFA’s F2F Country Director in Moldova, who helps coordinate the Ambassador Program with Godfrey Nehanda, CNFA’s F2F Country Director in Zimbabwe.

Through the Ambassador Program, F2F volunteers engage in outreach efforts within their professional and local communities, encouraging and supporting prospective volunteers to apply for their first assignments. The five new Ambassadors will also expand the program’s network into four additional U.S. states (Montana, Delaware, Ohio and New Mexico), strengthening its reach from five to nine states.

CNFA currently implements the F2F Program in Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Moldova. The five-year program (2018-2023) aims to connect mid-to senior-level U.S. volunteer experts with farmer groups, agribusinesses, trade associations, agricultural finance providers and other agriculture sector institutions to facilitate sustainable improvements in food security and agricultural processing, production and marketing.

Experts interested in volunteering for F2F can visit CNFA’s Volunteer page here or contact f2frecruitment@cnfa.org for more information.

The U.S. Agency for International Development administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program (F2F), implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), is partnering with researchers at the University of Rhode Island and the University of Zambia to understand the impacts of the invasive Australian red claw crayfish in waterbodies across Zambia. The study is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish at Mississippi State University. Introduced to Zambia in the 1990s for farming, the Australian red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) has spread rapidly across key bodies of water—particularly Lake Kariba and the Kafue floodplain—causing disruptions to traditional fishing patterns, practices and livelihoods.

“Leveraging our experience in agricultural research and program implementation, CNFA is helping to improve understanding of the invasive crayfish species, which has become a pest for local fishers and can potentially have damaging impacts on local ecosystems,” notes Marjatta Eilittä, Director of CNFA’s F2F Program.

“Many rural communities near Lake Kariba and the Kafue floodplain rely on healthy freshwater ecosystems for their livelihoods and food security,” added Eva Nambeye, lecturer at the University of Zambia’s Department of Animal Science and a researcher on the crayfish study. “Through activities such as crayfish population monitoring, crayfish trapping and interviews with fishers, we hope to understand the crayfish’s distribution and impact on the country’s ecology.”

Although the ecological impacts of the red claw crayfish are not fully understood, the “Population Ecology and Current Distribution Assessment of the Introduced Invasive Crayfish in the Kafue Floodplain and Lake Kariba, Zambia” study aims to better understand the crayfish population size, structure, growth, breeding patterns and ecological impact on the environment. The study also assesses current crayfish harvest volumes and the likelihood of their trans-watershed boundary spread towards the Okavango Delta, a vast inland river delta and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Botswana. The study is taking place from August 2021-2023.

“Once the study is complete, we will gain a better understanding of how to manage, mitigate and prevent the uncontrolled spread of the crayfish,” highlights professor Michael Rice from the University of Rhode Island Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science. “Ultimately, we are striving to preserve freshwater ecosystems, while protecting livelihoods and food security for future generations of fishers, fish farmers and communities.” Results from the study will also help the Zambian Department of Fisheries manage the invasive crayfish’s population and migration.

CNFA currently implements the F2F Program in Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Moldova. The five-year program (2018-2023) aims to connect mid-to senior-level U.S. volunteer experts with farmer groups, agribusinesses, trade associations, agricultural finance providers and other agriculture sector institutions to facilitate sustainable improvements in food security and agricultural processing, production and marketing. Experts interested in volunteering for F2F can visit CNFA’s Volunteer page here or contact f2frecruitment@cnfa.org for more information.

The U.S. Agency for International Development administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity announced their sponsorship of the Feed Nigeria Summit organized by Agro Nigeria in collaboration with other public and private sector actors within Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

Implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), the Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity is a five-year USAID-funded program, which aims to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment in Nigeria. This sponsorship, along with the Activity’s work in Nigeria, reinforces the Activity’s commitment to strengthen the country’s agribusiness enabling environment, ensuring food security and tackling hunger. The acting managing director and chief of party, Harris Ayuk-Takor made the announcement in his address during the Pre-Webinar Summit and Panel Discussion held yesterday, August 19 virtually.

“The Feed Nigeria Summit provides us with the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders to increase the depth, breadth, dynamism and competitiveness of Nigeria’s agribusiness sector. Through this summit, we look forward to working closely with Agro Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and other actors to facilitate agribusiness finance and investments in Nigeria,” said Ayuk-Takor.

The Activity focuses on four interrelated components: improving the enabling environment for agricultural sector growth; broadening access to finance by mitigating credit risks of agribusinesses; promoting and facilitating investment opportunities for agribusinesses to expand and scale up operations; and sustainably enhancing the performance of agribusiness micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs). The Activity focuses on five value chains: rice, maize, soybean, cowpea and aquaculture and has a geographic concentration in seven states: Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger.

Running from December 2018 to December 2023, the Activity will facilitate new lending for at least 5,000 agribusinesses and new investments across the five value chains in the seven designated states. In line with the U.S. and Nigerian governments’ commitment to growing the non-oil-based economy, these efforts will increase the depth, breadth, dynamism and competitiveness of Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.

The Activity’s participation in this year’s Feed Nigeria Summit highlights its commitment to collaborate and partner with other public and private sector actors in Nigeria to improve the agribusiness enabling environment and support critical infrastructural provision, technological innovation, mechanization and extension as core components of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD’s) policy thrust.

At the core of the Summit is the Mezzanine Deal Brokerage Room, which is wholly dedicated to forging investment partnerships between agricultural enterprises and investors. This holds special interest for the Activity, as the Deal Room forms part of their engagement strategy with agribusiness micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the financial sector. By participating in the Mezzanine Deal Room, the Activity hopes to contribute its experience in creating commercially viable linkages to catalyze new agribusiness investments.

“By providing business development services and supporting strategic partnerships at our Deal Rooms, the Activity strengthens market linkages and the competitiveness of smallholder farmers and agribusiness MSMEs to take advantage of emerging investment opportunities,” said Ayuk-Takor.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.

For more information about the Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity, visit our website at https://www.cnfa.org/program/nigeria-agribusiness-investment-activity/

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food for Progress-funded Maximizing Opportunities in Cocoa Activity (MOCA) has partnered with Project Hope and Fairness (PH&F), a U.S. based non-profit organization to promote local cocoa processing and chocolate manufacturing business and facilitated to national and international standards. The first shipment of 1,900 chocolate bars was shipped to the U.S. in February 2017. Implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), an international agricultural development  organization based in Washington D.C., MOCA focuses on increasing the productivity and efficiency of actors in the cocoa value chain.

As the world’s largest cocoa producer, Côte d’Ivoire, produces about 45 percent of the annual global cocoa production with over 2.1 million tons of dried cocoa beans per year. It is estimated that 6 million people depend on cocoa for their daily income. About 70 percent of Ivorian cocoa beans are mainly exported directly and 30 percent are processed locally into semi-finished products, such as cocoa powder, liquor, and butter.

While Ivorians have seen opportunities to develop chocolate’s local production for the national and international market, the production of consumer cocoa products, mainly chocolate, remains small-scale. To support the government policy and Ivorian initiatives, MOCA has provided grants and technical support to Ivorian entrepreneurs who have started local cocoa processing businesses, including SOCOPLAN, which shipped over 2,000 chocolate bars on September 22, 2020.

SOCOPLAN, a cooperative with a chocolate factory located in Depa, a village west of the Ivory Coast, was formed by David Logbo Zigro, brother of Depa’s chief with financial support from PH&F.

“Initiatives like those of Mr Zigro are incredibly important because they showcase the opportunities that exist for entrepreneurs and possess a capacity to innovate to reach their ambitions, which benefits entire communities,” says Marc Steen, MOCA’s chief of party.

In November 2020, MOCA and PH&F joined forces to demonstrate the feasibility of West African-owned cocoa processing businesses, like Zigro’s SOCOPLAN cooperative, and bolster their work to respond to local and pan-African demand for cocoa products made in Africa.

“I am so impressed at Mr. Zigro’s can-do, optimistic attitude. It’s thanks to him, the villagers of Depa, and MOCA that this project is really beginning to bear fruit.” added Tom Neuhaus, president of PH&F.

As part of the partnership, MOCA awarded a grant of $25,000 to SOCOPLAN, which corresponds to the amount of the counterpart of the SOCOPLAN cooperative disbursed with the support of PH&F. Additionally, to strengthen SOCOPLAN’s processing facilities, MOCA will procure processing equipment, and provide advice to the cooperative’s leaders. PH&F will construct much needed infrastructure to provide a cocoa mixer and obtain the required Ministry of Health certificates.

PH&F’s contribution includes the marketing of the products in France and in the United States, and the purchase of equipment for the fabrication of chocolate. In 2020, PH&F purchased a mixer for SOCOPLAN.

MOCA and PH&F will continue to partner through 2021, supporting SOCOPLAN’s to increase the value of their cocoa and the quality of their chocolate for national and international markets.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

The Finance and Investment Compendium aims to help entrepreneurs and businesses make informed choices when accessing finance to expand their businesses.

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity managed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has published a user-friendly quick reference guide – Finance and Investment Compendium, for Nigerian agribusinesses looking for concise information on available financing options to expand and scale up their operations.  Implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), the five-year Activity aims to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment in Nigeria.

“While information on intervention schemes is available online, it is difficult for agribusiness owners to view them together and compare them in terms of eligibility, cost, requirements, and suitability. We believe that this Compendium addresses that gap and makes it easier for businesses to weigh their options and come to the best decisions for financing their plans.”

“Many Nigerian agribusinesses are seeking information on financing to grow and succeed. They need an easy to access resource that helps them compare available options and determine which best suits their needs. With information on an assortment of intervention and grant schemes in one document, the Finance and Investment Compendium will make it easier for growing agribusinesses to make good decisions for financing their plans, creating a more dynamic and competitive agriculture sector,” said Dominic Graham, Chief of Party and managing director of the Activity.

Part of the Activity’s focus on creating an inclusive enabling environment for agribusinesses, the Compendium is among the Activity’s efforts to create resources that foster a confidence-inspiring investment climate. It provides overviews of a range of funding sources, including terms, eligibility criteria and application requirements. Started in 2018, the Activity strengthens the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment, supports access to finance and facilitates investment, linking thousands of enterprises and producer organizations with high-performing commercial actors in the aquaculture, cowpea, maize, rice and soybean value chains.

The Compendium summarizes a range of agricultural intervention funds, guarantee and grant schemes available to agribusiness in a consolidated document. Agribusinesses and entrepreneurs, particularly women and youth, will find useful information throughout the Compendium to better understand their financing options like the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund, which supports marginalized groups like women, and the Youth Entrepreneurship Support Program.

Entrepreneurs throughout the agricultural sector will also find funds and schemes tailored to their agribusinesses, including financing specific to food production, aggregation, logistics, storage, commodity processing, packaging and distribution, among others,

With greater awareness of available financing options through the Compendium, informed agribusinesses and entrepreneurs will have more confidence to expand their operations – another step toward a favorable business environment that increases investment, creates jobs, and stimulates agribusiness growth in Nigeria.

The U.S. Agency for International Development administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program in Southern Africa and the Eastern European country of Moldova, which is implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), is piloting a new Ambassador program aimed at increasing engagement in the United States in order to bolster the number of first-time volunteers.

The F2F program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), sends U.S. volunteer experts on overseas technical assignments to provide hands-on training to communities, cooperatives, agribusinesses, and educational institutions.

To support those efforts with new volunteers, CNFA’s Ambassador Program has appointed six veteran F2F volunteers to serve as Ambassadors in their professional and local communities, where they will offer outreach and information on the program to organizations and potential first-time participants.

“Our Ambassadors are enthusiastic volunteers who are dedicated to the F2F program. They will provide an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and depth of experience with Farmer-to-Farmer to enhance our outreach efforts,” said Marjatta Eilittä, Director, Farmer-to-Farmer Program, CNFA. “Their contributions will highlight the program’s impact to a wider audience and build the confidence of potential volunteers.”

The Ambassadors include Andrew Clark, a retired state veterinarian from Oregon; Lani Jordan, an organizational communications consultant from Minnesota; Dan Miller, an environmental scientist from West Virginia; Usha Palaniswamy, an educational executive from New York; Charles Williams, an agricultural consultant and farmer from North Carolina; and Marilyn Phillips, a marketing consultant from Minnesota.

CNFA-implemented F2F projects are currently active in Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Moldova. This five-year program (2018-2023) will connect approximately 400 mid- to senior-level U.S. volunteers to farmer groups, agribusinesses, and other agriculture sector institutions in those countries for two- to four-week assignments. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. volunteers currently implement these assignments virtually.

In addition to facilitating information exchange and knowledge sharing between experts and their host organizations, the people-to-people approach of the program leverages citizen diplomacy to establish lifelong international connections among agricultural peers.

Experts interested in volunteering for F2F can visit CNFA’s Volunteer page here or contact f2frecruitment@cnfa.org for more information.

The U.S. Agency for International Development administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.

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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.