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

hannahl@ncat.org

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?