Farmers in this area are struggling a lot with no human resources to help with the daily task to keep farming alive, farmers are losing their only income due to not being able to sow and harvest their crops or to process them on time, this is causing the farmers to stop farming and abandon their farms instead.
The solution for this big issue is with the helping hand of a volunteer, who will help with all agricultural tasks involved in the processing of products such as sugar cane (Panela) and coffee.
Beekeepers are needed, some farmers are beekeepers but they still beekeeping in a very artisanal way with very old techniques learned from their ancestors, so there is not real thinking about the bees or the environment but honey.
With the help of volunteers we aim to create consciousness about the bee safe keeping, increasing of beehives and colonies, supervision, new healthy spaces, and to teach about all products they can made from bees. And most important how their environment and crops will benefit from this.
In a sugar cane farm or a Coffee Farm: a volunteer will help with the cleaning of the
land, planting and crop growing, fertilization, harvesting, transporting in
mules the cropsof sugar cane to the “Trapiche” or grinder to process the product into Panela
in the same farm then packaging, or taking the coffee beans to the “beneficiadero” to be washed, skinned, selected, dry, and packed to send them to the next process of coffee production. Although there is always something to do in the farm all year round the harvesting season are from Apr-May and Oct-Nov.
Volunteers will also help with
some research to create new products, increase the production and market them. To help to educate local people into becoming
self-sufficient and use ecological techniques to improve the quality of crops
and farming living standards.
No previous experience is needed and a can do attitude and motivation will be really appreciated. Volunteers will have the opportunity to share experiences with farmers and their families and will play a big role to empower communities into stay together and keep farming alive.
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