Purdue University
Farmer-to-Farmer in Colombia’s Orinoquia Region
PDP-2014-2
FY 2017
Semi-Annual Report
October 1, 2016 – March 31, 2017
Submitted 4/27/2017
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Summary of Experience with Program Implementation
Programmatic
The main objective of the project is to promote rural development to support a sustainable
and economically equitable peace in the Orinoquia region of Colombia, through integrated
volunteer technical assistance. To do this, the F2F Program in Colombia’s Orinoquia Region
has continued to support smallholder farmers’ associations and cooperatives through the
implementation of three sub-objectives:
Objective 1
Farm productivity to increase yields: Improved agricultural productivity through sustainable
agricultural practices and natural resource management. Volunteers will work with
smallholder farmers so that they understand and be able to train others.
Objective 2
Processing and Markets: Strengthened regional agricultural economy through value-added
processing and sustainable innovations along the value chain. Volunteers will provide
technical assistance in agricultural processing, product innovation, and marketing.
Objective 3
Enhanced Networks: New and strengthened networks support small farms and markets for
local food systems.
To date, the Colombia F2F project has been utilizing volunteer assignments to improve
sustainable agricultural production and develop a local food system. Through assignments
focused on such topics as sustainable water use and catchment, nutrient cycling, organic
fertilizers, grey and black water treatments, local and regional food hub markets,
empowering organizations and developing data records, smallholder farms have been able to
utilize their resources and leverage them for financial improvement. The practical nature of
recommendations made by these volunteers have encouraged their adoption. The
recommendations that have been implemented by the farmers have resulted in a quantitative
and qualitative improvements to the families associated with this project.
Accomplishments
During this 6-month period, implementation of several projects has been started with
farmers. In the Ariari area, Agroempari is working toward their organizational goal of
encouraging the campesino (rural smallholder farmers) economy. Farmers have used the
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information gained through pervious F2F assignments, Integrated Agricultural Production
Systems (VP2), Management of Waste Water (VP3), Information and Account Management
for Small Farms (VP15), and Marketing Community Supported Agriculture (VP4) to create
new products and improve existing products including: caramel, milk, corn, corn bread, fresh
cheese, organic fertilizer, yogurt and eggs.
One of the more productive hosts F2F Colombia has worked
with, Corporacion Entre Pueblos (CEP) has continued to
improve the farms of its members. With the support of F2F
CEP has been able to mobilize resources to implement
vegetable gardens on members’ farms. In mid-2016, leaders of
CEP submitted a proposal to the local municipal government
to add 45 gardens to members farms. CEP was asked to
submit additional information showing that, if implemented,
their project would be successful. CEP submitted letters from
their members explaining their experience with the F2F
program and showing (through pictures) the knowledge
CEP Christmas Basket Filled
with F2F-Improved Products
gained through the organic vegetable production (VP-25)
assignment. In November 2016, CEP received $14,000,000
(COP) to buy materials, seeds and tools. CEP has also worked to improve other crops based
on knowledge gained through F2F assignments namely: turmeric, lemon juice, hibiscus, corn
cookies, araza, cakes, and caramel among other products. With many improved crops, CEP
created a Christmas gift basket filled with products improved by the F2F program – primarily
the organic vegetable production assignment (VP 25). Supported by F2F staff, a CEP member
trained in the market niches assignment (VP 23) designed a product catalogue. CEP and F2F
staff took sample baskets to local and departmental offices to offer the baskets for sale and
demonstrate some of the F2F program’s accomplishments. CEP sold 50 baskets during the
holiday season for a total of $830 (USD) in sales. CEP plans to use what they learned in 2016
to offer an improved gift basket – including fresh produce –for the 2017 Christmas season.
While unable to field volunteers for much of the reporting period, the in-country team
worked toward finalizing the business and marketing plans for the model food hub, PROTOS
based on the recommendations made in the responsible consumption (VP-24) as well as the
business and financial planning (VP-17) assignments. As of the end of the reporting period,
updated market data needs to be added to the business and financial plans and then an
updated analysis of the addition of this information to the plan must be completed. The
business plan and financial plan will be completed by the end of FY 2017.
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Challenges
A notable challenge experienced during this period has been the unstable security situation
in Colombia following the failed peace agreement referendum on October 2, 2016. From
October 2016 – January 2017, the security situation in the Orinoquia region (and Colombia as
a whole) remained very uncertain as the ‘no’ vote was unexpected and preparations were not
made for this eventuality.
In October, when demobilization began, F2F country staff expressed concerns for the safety
of potential volunteers and, together with Purdue staff, decided not to field volunteers. Both
VEGA and USIAD were informed of this decision. Therefore, the limited number of
assignments during the first half of the fiscal year was due in large part to the unstable
political situation following the failed peace agreement referendum on October 2, 2016.
Though only one volunteer has been placed so far in FY 2017, volunteers have been recruited
for several assignments in April, May and June, and more rapid volunteer deployment is
expected in the second half of FY 2017.
To ensure volunteer safety, the F2F team continues to implement a security protocol
including visiting the area prior to the volunteer’s assignment to confirm logistical details
and consult with municipal officials, local farmers and local media to have the most up-todate local information. Volunteer visits to the rural areas of Vista Hermosa and Mesetas
(where the FARC demobilization camp is located) have been limited and will continue to be
limited.
Targets Achieved
During the first half of FY 2016, F2F in Colombia’s Orinoquia Region fielded one complete
volunteer assignment on soil conservation. Two volunteers will depart at the end of March
(to be including in the annual report).
The combined value for Purdue’s F2F volunteers during this time is $6,580 for 14 days of
work. The soil conservation assignment fielded in January supported three host
organizations and resulted in three recommendations. Overall, 102 recommendations out of
a 146 recommendations have been adopted by host organizations. This is a 70% adoption
rate of volunteer recommendations.
Program Administration
There have been no changes to the program staff during this period. Emma Charlebois
continues to be the only U.S.-based F2F staff and Dr. Jess Lowenberg-DeBoer continues to
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remain the Program Principal Investigator. In country staff continues to consist of Jorge
Clavijo (Local Coordinator), Guiomar Rojas (In-Country Logistics Coordinator), Constanza
Yunda (Program Manager), and Alvaro Ocampo (Country Director).
Jorge Clavijo and Guiomar Rojas are in the process of transitioning from contractors to
employees of Purdue International, Inc. (PII). This conversion will ensure Purdue University
and F2F in Colombia’s Orinoquia remain in compliance with U.S. and Colombian law. This has
been a fairly lengthy process since they are some of the first people who will be contracted by
Purdue under this new entity. As such, there has been a lot of work put into writing these
contracts and ensuring that they comply with all regulations that have been set in place for
PII.
Recently the Program Manager, Emma Charlebois and Local Coordinator of the project, Jorge
Clavijo, attended the 2016 F2F implementers meeting. Additionally, Jorge visited Purdue’s
campus and was able to meet with project stakeholders and potential volunteers.
Logistical and Contractual
The Purdue-Unillanos F2F program fielded one volunteer during the first half of FY 2017 due
in large part to the unstable security situation in rural Colombia. It is anticipated that the
second half of FY 2017 will have a tightly packed schedule of volunteers. Much of this period
was spent working with existing host organizations and developing relationships with new
host organizations; conducting monitoring and evaluation activities; developing scopes of
work; and conducting ongoing evaluations of the security situation.
Purdue and Unillanos staff worked with VEGA staff during the reporting period to develop a
proposal for a no-cost extension (NCE). Delays in implementation posed by Zika and the
unstable security situation following the failed peace agreement referendum have put the
program behind schedule. The proposed NCE that was developed would extend the program
to January 15, 2018 in order to complete the full 40 assignments that were originally planned
– without adding additional expense.
Assignments Completed
Month
January 2017
Assignment Topic
Soil Conservation
Volunteer Name
Jorge Lugo-Camacho
Though volunteer recruitment continued throughout the reporting period, no assignments
were scheduled during the period of October 2 – November 30, 2016 due to the insecurity of
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potential volunteer assignments. With hosts unwilling to participate in volunteer
assignments during the Christmas season and Unillanos University closed most of December,
the first volunteer assignment of FY 2017 was completed January 22 – February 7, 2017. Two
more assignments departed in March 2017 and will be included in the FY 2017 annual
report.
Planned Activities for April – September 2017
Volunteer Assignments
The table below shows a tentative schedule for the remaining 12 assignments for FY 2017. Of
these, we have volunteers identified for eight assignments (in italics). We continue to look for
volunteers to fill the remaining four volunteer assignments.
Month
April
May
June
July - September
Assignment Topic
Pest Management (Rick Foster)
Pest Identification (Jeff Stuart)
Marketing Strategies for Rural Communities (Jerry Shafer)
Cheese Production
PUP Manufacturing Preparation and Resource Support (John
Lumkes)
PUP Manufacturing (Tyler Anselm and David Wilson)
PUP Manufacturing Support and Technical Assistance (John
Lumkes)
Chocolate Factory Production Processes (Matt Rubin)
Pig Processing
Solar Dryers
Value Added Fruits and Vegetables
Other Activities
In August 2017, the F2F Colombia program will organize and host a small farms conference.
The goal of this conference is to connect smallholder farmers from different areas of Meta
and provide information to advance small-farm production and profitability. As it is currently
planned, the small farms conference will broadly consist of a keynote session followed by a
series of breakout sessions led by local experts and one U.S. volunteer (as part of his/her
assignment). Unillanos master’s students will help organize and coordinate the event under
F2F country staff direction.
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PERSUAP Compliance
PERSUAP Implementation Experience – F2F Assignments:
Over the period covered by this report, the project did not have any assignments requiring
implementation of the F2F PERSUAP (Types 1, 2 and 4).
Regional program, country program, or country project area assignments or SOWs in
IPM and pesticide safer use: The following volunteer SOWs in IPM and pesticide safer use
were undertaken for the F2F regional program, country program, or country project area as a
whole. These differ from the individual assignments addressing pesticide use with specific
hosts, which should be included in the table above.
(none or list)
None
Needs for a PERSUAP amendment: The following needs for a PERSUAP amendment to add
pesticides were identified during the reporting period.
None
Certifications of assignment and office compliance with PERSUAP guidelines:
A. PERSUAP Compliance – F2F Assignments
This certifies that all volunteers have received the F2F Environmental Brochure. For all
PERSUAP Type 1, 2 and relevant Type 4 SOWs, and further certifies the following have been
provided to and developed by the relevant volunteers:
Type 1 SOWs2
Provided to · F2F PERSUAP with Attachments A - H
Volunteer
· SUAP briefing with F2F field staff
· Implementing Partner F2F PERSUAP
Questionnaire
· List of any IPM practices and any tools,
forms, protocols, plans from previous
volunteers
· Host country list of approved pesticides
· Approved pesticide list from any other
applicable PERSUAPs
Type 2 SOWs2
· F2F PERSUAP with
Attachments B, C, F, H
· SUAP briefing with F2F field
staff
· Implementing Partner F2F
PERSUAP Questionnaire
· List of IPM practices from
previous volunteers
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Developed/
Provided
by
Volunteer
· Syllabus for training event
· Material Safety Data Sheets (filed in field
office)
· Any pesticides that the F2F program should
be able to recommend/use which are
included on an approved list
· Limitations/successes of F2F PERSUAP
· Recommendations for additional support
on pesticide management practices
· Recommendations/feedback on local IPM
practices
· Highly Toxic Pesticides (Attachment
E)/poor pesticide practices witnessed
· Tools, forms, protocols, plans for
implementation of pesticide-related
recommendations
· Limitations/successes of
F2F PERSUAP
· Recommendations for
additional support on
pesticide management
practices
· Recommendations/feedback
on local IPM practices
B. PERSUAP Compliance – F2F Offices
This certifies that all F2F staff have reviewed the F2F Environmental Brochure for staff the
fiscal year and that the following have been updated and kept on file:
Home Office
Documents · F2F Environmental
Updated
Brochure for staff
and on File · PERSUAP with
Attachments A-I
· Any USAID Missionor sector-wide
PERSUAP(s) for
relevant
country/sector
Field Office
· F2F Environmental Brochure for staff
· PERSUAP with Attachments A-I
· USAID Mission- or sector-wide PERSUAP(s) for
relevant country/sector
· Host country list of approved pesticides3
· Implementing partner F2F PERSUAP Questionnaire,
with any volunteer additions
· Material Safety Data Sheets for relevant pesticides4
· Tools, forms, protocols, plans developed by
volunteers
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GAO Recommendation
BACKGROUND CHECK COMPLIANCE
Per GAO recommendation, Purdue University is conducting reference checks on volunteers.
This confirms that Purdue University:

Does not engage in transactions with, or provide resources or support to, individuals
and organizations associated with terrorism, including those individuals or entities
that appear on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List
maintained by the U.S. Treasury or the United Nations Security designation list. All
potential volunteers are screened against these and other watch lists and this
provision is included in all sub-agreements, including sub-awards and contracts
issued under the F2F award.

Carries out at least two reference checks on all potential first time F2F volunteers in
addition to other required screening and carries out reference checks on all repeat
F2F volunteers with regard to prior F2F assignments, and additional external
references if no F2F assignments have been completed within the past 24 months.

Immediately informs the USAID AOR of any negative F2F volunteer performance or
behavior and provides information on such performance or behavior experiences to
other F2F implementing organizations when contacted for reference checks on
potential volunteers.
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Certification
M & E CERTIFICATION
Purdue University confirms that we have: a) used established indicators and definitions; b)
participated in regular (annual) workshops reviewing indicators and M&E systems; and c)
trained field staff on indicators and data collection systems. The above mentioned training
sessions include extensive instruction in the collection and reporting of indicators.
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