Youth Farmers Organic Market Objective Support a group of future farmers to establish a small but commercially viable organic farm, to be managed and operated exclusively by local teenagers, as a means to empower them to successfully confront the economic and social challenges that this generation faces. Recover the importance of sustainable agriculture and its traditional cultural value, with an emphasis on the recovery of sustainable ancestral practices, among the youth of the Community of Camarones Provide the youth with administrative and marketing tools necessary to manage their small business and commercialize their products, including accounting, marketing, and business planning. Inspire the youth of Camarones to work together to build an alternative for their future, keeping them occupied in a productive common goal, which will to a certain extent protect them from the threat of drugs and alcoholism Preserve the value of cooperation and communitarian work Incentivize this generations to participate in sustainable agriculture Spark an entrepreneurial attitude and self-confidence in undertaking an initiative Reforest previously degraded land through agro-forestry
Project Description With four years of experience in developing and managing a demonstration site for organic agriculture and sustainable agroforestry in a 1-hectare plot of land in the Jama-Coaque Ecological Reserve, Third Millennium Alliance will help guide the Youth Group to establish and manage their own small organic farm on 1 hectare of land in the community of Camarones to grow a variety of locally-demanded vegetables, herbs, spices, tropical fruits and nuts. The organization will provide the youth with a small plot of land on which to work as well as a roadside market with which to commercialize their projects, and will support them with the design and implementation of the initial and subsequent stages of the organic garden. Once the design is complete, the land will be fenced and equipped with an irrigation system. The soil will be amended and prepared for cultivation, and the seeds will be sewn. During the initial 6 to 8 months of the project, the youth will work by taking turns in the management process, including activities such as weed control, organic pest control, fertilization, irrigation, and harvest. In the meantime the youth will meet together once a month to organize product inventory and to develop the marketing and sales strategies, with the support of Group Leaders and organization staff who are trained in the field of sustainable agriculture. The production will be locally commercialized from a roadside market along the highway at the entrance to the community, as well as in all small supermarkets located in the towns near Camarones. The products will be divided into categories: fresh products and processed/refined products. The fresh products will be sold as a mixed basket of goods that contain a variety of organically- grown fruits and vegetables that will be delivered to regular clients. The processed/refined products includes, but is not limited to, chocolate, jams and marmalade, spices, hot sauces, dry fruits, teas, etc., and will commercialized either within the delivery system or at the local markets that have already shown interest in this project. Another aspect of this project will be the marketing and sales activities, which involve product packing design and promotional visits to prospective clients and market owners. For this the youth will be trained and guided throughout the whole process. All activities will be managed within the framework of the Youth Group; the role of the organization is to provide a place where they can gather and organize their activities; as well as support and training on agricultural/technical matters, business administration, accounting, product design, and marketing and sales. Revenue earned from the project will be reinvested into the project as well as used toward funding the purchase of computers, books, and other educational supplies for use in the Youth Group meeting center, as well as funding field trips and other activities aimed at broadening their knowledge and worldly experience. The organization will also film the entire process and produce a short film that will serve as a source for promotion and continuous support for this long-term project. How to Apply: Please only apply if you know that As we spend most of the time in the forest, we only go into town 1-2 days per week, so internet access is limited to as little as 2 hours per week. For this reason, our application procedure has been created to make this process as efficient as possible. This is how it works: Download the application form from our website: http://3malliance.org/index.php?id=320 You will need to fill it out, and email it us. Or, fill it out in Adobe, print to PDF, and send us a completed digital copy. Submit your application to the appropriate email address(es) as listed below. No need to address anyone as Mr. or Ms. And please dont take it personally if we keep our responses short were just doing it to economize on time spent in front of a computer. If you are applying to multiple internships, please send one email with all application documents to all of the appropriate addresses. Community Education & Sustainable Development Internship - isa...@3malliance.org & la...@3malliance.org
