Technical Assistance – Tomato Processing

Farmer-to-Farmer is a USAID-funded initiative to send American agricultural/agribusiness experts to developing countries to offer technical assistance to our host organizations. These trips are volunteer-based, but all trip-related expenses are covered by CNFA, and typically last between two and three weeks.

Assignment

Santa Isabel is a prominent agro-livestock association which operates on 30 hectares producing a variety of  crops, including tomatoes.  Located near Beira, in an area well known as the tomato region of Mozambique, Santa Isabel has been having trouble profiting from their tomatoes due to oversaturation of the market coupled with the short shelf life of raw tomatoes.  Santa Isabel is interested in processing tomatoes into sauces, crushed tomatoes and dried tomatoes to increase shelf-life and sell the products when tomatoes are scarce.  Santa Isabel is looking for assistance from a Farmer-to-Farmer to provide the technical training on tomato processing and assist in the research of suitable processing equipment to increase the incomes of association members.

Desired Impacts

• Improve profits and producer incomes by increasing shelf life of existing products

Desired Qualifications

• Practical experience in post-harvest management of fruits and vegetables
• Skills in the processing of tomato derivatives and other fruit and vegetable based value added products
• Knowledge and experience in using basic equipment required for quality control and grading of fruit/vegetables
• Willingness to work for a week or more in a rural Mozambican town
• Previous experience working with rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa is preferred, but not required
• Must be citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.