Agriculture & Coffee Volunteer Opportunites in Northern Nicaragua

  Nicaragua

Ocotal

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: Feb and July 2010

Description: Volunteers will be placed on local farms that are part of our growing network. Host farms range in size and available resources, offer a variety of work, and have differing management practices. Each farmer identifies projects that will help move their operation closer to ecological sustainability. Some projects are more labor intensive because labor is what the farmer lacks in order to reach his/her goal. Other projects are more investigative such as assisting with on farm crop trials or developing minor improvements to current systems. On all farms volunteers will participate in daily work and upkeep of the farm, which may or may not be related to a specific "sustainable" project. We have found that in the end, volunteers value the experience and learning that comes from integrating themselves into more aspects of the farm. It also demonstrates to the farmer that your understanding of farm work and farm life consist of more than just working on exciting or new projects.

Highlights:
- Live and work on local farm.
- Practice your Spanish.
- Learn how to coffee is grown and processed.
- Support exciting and new locally owned agroecology project!

Qualifications:
- Conversational Spanish
- flexibility
- patience
- physical stamina
- knowledge of agriculture preferred

Cost in US$: USD 600- USD 700

Experience Required: yes

Some experience or knowledge of agriculture is preferred, but not required.

Typical Volunteer: Hardworking, flexible, patient, open-minded, loves the outdoors, likes adventure, interested in learning about agriculture and rural life in Nicaragua.

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Nicaragua Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 1-2

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Written Application

Guardabarranco S.A. Empresa Agroecologica's Mission Statement: We aim to improve agriculture and farm production systems so that they protect, promote, and guarantee the biodiversity, self-sustainability, and sustainable use of natural resources. This includes building a self-sustainable agroecological farm that will be used as a tool to strengthen the agricultural knowledge and learning capacity of national and international students, rural community members and local professionals through seminars, hands on training, and skill exchanges.

Year Founded: 2006