Agroforestry

Environment and Agroforestry Volunteer Program revolves around raising awareness of environmental issues in communities, or placing volunteers into an agroforestry project set up by a German organization called “Kaule-ev” based in Kaule. VIN sees good environmental practice directly impacting upon general well-being. The inter connectedness of humanity and the environment means that we need to focus on maintain this precious balance.

You as a volunteer may partake in this program by letting VIN place you in one of the rural areas, with a Nepali family. During your stay you will put together various activities, in the hopes of raising awareness on the issue of resources being depleted in the local community much quicker than expected, and the subsequent matter of sustainability. You may carry out this awareness campaign through drama productions, games, etc. If you work within “Kaule-ev” you have a chance to work under skilled Nepali farmers, cultivating land and engaging in basic agroforestry. If you are an expert in agriculture, or horticulture you may even get a chance to set up a workshop for the farmers, in which you would teaching essential techniques of agroforestry.

Nepal’s rich biodiversity but one which it is at risk, but minimal conservation awareness and rapid population growth do pose a threat. At this rate, communities face the very likely possibility of devastating natural disasters. VIN therefore mobilizes volunteers and interns from Nepal and abroad to raise the awareness of environmental issues and practice that mitigates the impacts of disaster. In this program, volunteers and interns will help to develop village and school profiles organise meetings with school management committees, and community members, to identify localised needs.

Volunteers will identify their needs by using Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) tools i.e. community mapping, focused group discussions, sorting and ranking. This method ensures volunteers are positively contributing in the long run since projects can thus be prioritized and guided from former research. During their stay in the community, the volunteers can also organize many awareness raising activities to help promote the understanding of various environmental and developmental issues. These campaigns take the form of drama productions, rallies, stories, games and competitions.

Our Partner for the Program

VIN in cooperation with “Kaule-ev”, a German association involved with agro-projects in Kaule, Okharpauwa VDC, Kathmandu, Nepal. If you wish to learn more about their projects please visit http://en.kauleev.org/kaulenepal. Their vision is to support socially sustainable agro-projects. Here, the association alludes to the social, economical and ecological aspects of such projects. If you wish to volunteer through VIN in their projects, you are welcome! Please contact us at info@volunteeringnepal.org

Possible number of volunteer placements: maximum 4

Time period of placement:   between April 2009 and May 2011

Length of placement:   3 weeks – 5 month (depending on visa restrictions)

Employment fields:   Working on farm in an agroforestry project, teaching English to farmers and farmer’s children

Description of placement:

1. Agroforestry Project

Volunteers can be placed after the agroforestry training has been given to farmers by the Nepal Agroforestry Foundation and the Center of Agriculture Research and Development. Training duration is 3 weeks beginning late March. After such training, farmers will develop the restructuring plan of their own land. Based on those plans, rebuilding of the project area will be achieved with the help of volunteers and interns under the farmer’s guidance.

Examples of possible elements included in the rebuilding of the project area are:

• nurseries
• contour hedgerows of nitrogen-fixing plants
• crop rotation
• cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants,fruits and spices
• conservation farming
• companion planting
• beekeeping
• home gardening

Work areas for volunteers could be in any of the listed areas, depending on what farmers decide to include on their land.

2. Teaching English to farmers, their children and in a primary school context

Evening class:

a) Number of children: 30 – 40

The children are between 5 and 18 years old. At least 2 classes should be formed depending on age and knowledge.

Time: 5 – 5:45 pm first class 6 – 6:45 pm second class

Place: teaching room in the house of Kaule e.V. or in a room of the primary school in Kaule

b) Number of farmers: 15 – 20

Time: 7 – 7:45 pm

Place: teaching room in the house of Kaule e.V. or in a room of the primary school in Kaule

Day class: Teaching in a primary school

Time: approximately 3 hours per day

Place: primary school of Kaule

Food and accommodation for volunteers

Accommodation will be in the Kaule e.V. house approximately 10 -15 walking minutes to the primary school.

Volunteers will get Dal Bhat for breakfast and dinner (or a comparable meal) and a snack for lunch.

Project Summary