Agriculture Volunteer Program

The program takes place in the country side in smaller communities and is a great opportunity for volunteers that loves to be close to a farming family and their daily life. As volunteers will live in smaller communities outside small towns they often get to know the family and the neighbors really good.

Most families might also have different animals that need to be taken care of every day like pigs, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, cows etc as well as they also have the land to work on. Also depending on the season, the families also work with different crops in their land.

Some families might also have other trades or small negotiations that they live of like cheese or bread production or they might work as for example teacher or carpenter in the community to be able to have an income.

Even though participants will be mostly with the family, they sometimes also take part of "mingas" or community work that can be anything from harvesting to painting the local school. This is something that is typical in the culture of the Indigenous in the Andean Mountains since generations.

Volunteers Role

Participants will follow the daily routine of their host family, getting up when they do and passing the day together working the land or in the community. Participants will live and learn about the traditions and daily life of these campesinos (farmers) and their families.
There may also be opportunities during the stay to work with other families and people of the same community on a wider variety of activities. This allows greater experience of the daily life and contributes to further integration into the community.

Some things that volunteers might take part of:

-Work on the land, prepare seed beds, sow, weed, water, and plant
-Harvest the local fruit and vegetable
-Manage the farm animals (normally chickens, pigs, cows, sheep and guinea pigs)
-Participate in mingas (community work)
-Help out or teach in the education centers/schools
-Visit local markets and perhaps buy or sell farm animals
-Help distributing and selling products
-Help repairing the infrastructure (eg fixing roofs, making fences, animal pens)
-Help cooking or baking

Location And Working Hours

This program takes place in the Andean mountains.

Volunteers work Monday to Friday from early in the morning, at about 06:00, until about 17:00 with a break for lunch.

Volunteers that want to take part of any work in the weekend are of course welcome to do so.

Our Experience

This is a great program for anybody that loves to get really close to the Andean culture and way of life with agriculture but for someone that can't handle to be alone with only Spanish around and a simple life it will be hard.'

There is a big chance that there will be physical work so for someone that have problems with their back or knees for example might have problems to participate in work.

Requirements

Application Form
Resume / CV
Passport Copy
2 Weeks
High Beginner Spanish
Interest In Working With Animals And Nature
Open Mindedness To Live In A Simple Way

Recommended

4 Weeks
Intermediate Spanish
Some Experience With Animals Or Agriculture
Rubber Boots And Gloves
Work Clothes
Sun Hat
Rainwear
Warm Clothes