Food For The Poor (Guy) Inc and Partners of the Americas Farmer to Famer program brought the curtains down on the Organizational Management Workshop, today at the FFTP (Guy) Inc headquarters, where fifteen successful farmers received their certificate of participation.
The program was held to boost the capacity of the Central Mahaicony Perth Village Farmers Association. The sessions were facilitated by Ms. Kaitlan Mahoney; a US-based volunteer recruited by Partners of the Americas.
Speaking at the simple ceremony Chief Executive Officer of Food for The Poor (Guy) Inc Mr. Kent Vincent praised the farmers as he spoke on the importance of the work they do daily. He emphasized that the role of the organization is not only to move on from a project after it is completed but to seek ways whereby the lives of individuals, groups, and organizations are impacted. The CEO also stated that Food For The Poor (Guy) Inc was pleased to be a part of this initiative and views it as a future step to be a part of other collaborations with Partners of the Americas, Farmer to Farmer Program.
Mr. Kelvin Craig, Country Director at Partners of the Americas, Farmer to Farmer, Guyana noted that Guyana has been benefitting from funding from the project under the USAID for several decades. While it was a first-time collaboration between Food For the Poor (Guy) Inc and his organization, he pledged his continued support to work with Food For The Poor (Guy) and the Central Mahaicony Perth Village Farmers Association. “You have to work together, remember all you have learned over the last five (5) days, and keep on growing because it is all about empowerment. We are here and we are not going anywhere and we want to see progress,” Craig posited.
Ms. Kaitlan Mahoney thanked the farmers for their time. Mahoney explained that the purpose of the training was to take the Mahaicony Perth Village Farmers Association and allow them to regain their confidence, noting that they were a strong and dedicated association. Mahoney also said, “I have no doubt that this group will get back into the pig production, they will get back into the ham production and I have no doubt that this group will find the right market and I look forward to following the progress. I think the most important strategy was the willingness to include youths, it is very important that the knowledge this group has, they share and pass on and empower the youths to be very proud of where they come from.”
Over the course of the five days which commenced on January 26, 2023, and concluded on February 1, 2023, the farmers benefited from SWOT analysis, which is expected to better aid them in understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, organizational structure, roles and responsibilities, leadership, vision plan, and action points on how to achieve long and short-term goals.
The farmers all agreed that the program was refreshing as it allowed them to see things from a new perspective. As it relates to the weaning of piglets, they explained that the method in which they were taught, will now see them doing less work and earning more. Some farmers who are in the business of managing fruit and vegetable crops, relayed that the program has given them a feeling of empowerment and confidence as they knew they could take better care of their gardens.
In unison the farmers thanked Food For The Poor (Guy) Inc and Partners of the Americas Farmers to Farmers, Guyana for this joint initiative.
