Building Capacity among Immigrant Farmers in a Community...
Transcript of Building Capacity among Immigrant Farmers in a Community...
Building Capacity among Immigrant Building Capacity among Immigrant Farmers in a Community College ContextFarmers in a Community College Context
Claudia M. Prado-Meza, MSPhD Student in Sustainable Agriculture
Hannah Lewis, MSNational Center for Appropriate
Technology (NCAT)
Jan L. Flora, PhDExtension Community Sociologist
Iowa State University
Percent Hispanic Population Change 1990-2000(Omits counties with fewer than 50 Hispanic persons in 1990)
Source: Paul Voss, University of Wisconsin
Race/Hispanic Origin: Iowa %Race/Hispanic Origin: Iowa %Change 2000Change 2000--20062006
-505
101520253035
African American
Native American
Asian2 or more races
Hispanic/ Latino
White
Change inThousands
IOWA’S NEW FARMERSA study of farming roots and
aspirations among immigrants from Latin America
Hannah Lewis, National Center for Appropriate Technology
Survey results:Survey results:
Agricultural aspirationsAgricultural aspirations
0102030405060708090
100
per
cen
t
want to farm want to garden already garden
Latino
Survey results:
Largest Perceived Obstacles
0102030405060708090
per
cen
t
acce
ss t
oca
pit
al
fin
din
gm
kts
get
tin
gin
sura
nce
tech
ski
lls
acce
ss t
ola
nd
eno
ug
hti
me
Latino
County of Marshall Investing in Diversified Agriculture (COMIDA)
n Collaborators:n Marshalltown Community
College Entrepreneurial and Diversified Agriculture
n Resource Conservation & Development
n ISU Extension and Sociology Extension
n Graduate studentsn National Center for
Appropriate Technologyn Marshalltown Chamber of
Commerce
Start your Start your own farm own farm –– Empiece Empiece su propia su propia
granjagranjan 8 weekly sessions of 3 hours
n Graduation, March 8, 2009n 9 Anglo and 9 Latino students received their certification of
completionn Farming teamsn 10 students in 5 farming teams are farming at the MCC organic farmn 3 teams are selling their products together at the Des Moines
Farmers Market (tomatoes, onion, lettuce, carrots, okra, peppers, squash, cabbage, cucumbers, etc.)
Curriculum
1. Introducción al curso y establecimiento de metas familiares para la granja
2. Qué recursos tenemos para trabajar?
3. Plan de comercialización
4. Producción sustentable y orgánica de ganado y hortalizas
5. Cosecha, manejo pos-cosecha y mercadeo
6. Planificación de la siembra
7. Registro de ingresos y gastos
8. Acceso a crédito financiero
1. Introduction and goal setting
2. What resources do we have to work with?
3. Marketing planning
4. Production overview
5. Marketing Implementation and distribution
6. Production and plot planning
7. Record keeping
8. Financing
Instructors
n Professionals in collaboration with experienced farmers:n MCC faculty membersn ISU Extensionn Iowa MicroLoan and
USDA FSA officialsn Private food business
consultantn Practical Farmers of Iowa
staff personn ISU Graduate Program in
Sustainable Agriculture students
Expected Outcomes
(Systemic Changes)q Successful Latino
farmers and local businesses engaged in local food systems
n Sustained institutional engagement in education and technical services in support of Latino farm families
Recommended Approaches:Recommended Approaches:
Target bilingual outreach to the immigrant community.
Develop all material and activities bilingually, but take care that the needs of non-English speakers are met.
Encourage social interaction.Create a family-friendly
environment with side programming for children.
Create instructor teams by pairing a farmer with a professional in order to balance theory with practical advice.
End each class period with a group reflection session.
Questions?Questions?