Project core objectives have been to implement a nationwide community of practice (CoP), expand visually-based content for T&TA providers, and develop trainers’ skills in adult education and T&TA delivery through webinars and an on-site meeting. Core activities have included peer-to-peer engagements through CoPs for incubator farm staff, expansion and dissemination of visually-based farmer education content, and skills development through training-of-trainers.
Seven refugee farming incubators and 30+ staff improved T&TA content and delivery. 40+ refugee farm incubator programs nationwide will be downloading and utilizing training resources through our new website: www.isedsolutions.net. Via the website, 600 to 1200 beginning farmers will also access hundreds of T&TA resources and thus expand their knowledge of farming and improve farm business outcomes. These resources will also be widely distributed to reach other beginning farmer incubators and help thousands of other beginning farmers.
Due to COVID19, additional funding support we received has been provided to all partners to make up for the uncompensated time and effort put in due to the limitations of COVID19 and the greater workload they shoulder producing high quality T&TA materials. Funds were also used for a one-year extension to allow time to complete the new content development, to pilot it with farmers. and to post these on the new ISED website. The website will continue to expand.
Other collaborating institutions/organizations: ISED collaborated with the following programs: International Rescue Committee (IRC) - US National office – NYC; IRC local program - Charlottesville, VA; Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas, Kansas City, KS; Cultivate Kansas City, MO, Lutheran Services of Iowa, Des Moines, IA. Some added programs also piloted resources.
Percent of total federal funds requested that are allocated to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), or school-based agricultural educational organizations (SAEOs): 100%
This project served 100% refugee participants, who also constitute primarily as low-income and socially-disadvantaged.