The National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA) is the trade association for cooperative businesses in the United States and an international development organization. NCBA CLUSA provides cross-sector education, technical assistance, and advocacy that helps co-ops thrive. For nearly 100 years, NCBA CLUSA has sought to advance and protect cooperative enterprises, highlighting the impact that cooperatives have in bettering the lives of individuals and families. In the last 60 years, NCBA CLUSA has worked in over 100 countries in the areas of food security, agricultural development, strengthening of communities and farmer organizations, community-based health, natural resources management, and empowerment of smallholder farmers, women, and youth. We currently work in 21 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia

The Resilient Agriculture Activity (RAA) is a project funded by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA). Its primary objective is to enhance the sustainability of agricultural practices in the provinces of the South Region of the Dominican Republic, which have been severely affected by climate change and high input prices resulting from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Resilient Agriculture Activity (RAA) is currently seeking the services of a qualified consultant or consulting firm to undertake the collection of its baseline data. The purpose of this data collection is to establish a comprehensive understanding of the current agricultural practices in the Southwest of the Dominican Republic that will serve as a reference point for evaluating the impact of the activity´s interventions.

USAID’s Resilient Agriculture Activity will improve food security in the Dominican Republic. The Activity’s overarching strategy is to lower production costs and to create more ecological and profitable cropping systems for smallholder farms through the Low-Cost Production System model. The model, developed by the National Cooperative Business Association, Cooperative League of  America (NCBA CLUSA), holistically addresses the needs of smallholder farming enterprises by increasing farm productivity, food quality, and trade opportunities.

Formed exclusively by women, COOPMUCAVA is a promising organization located in the municipality of Vallejuelo, province of San Juan. With 86 members, this cooperative is made up of farmers with varied food production systems, rotating crops throughout the year. Choosing onions as their main crop, they tend to also diversify their production with traditionally grown crops of the region (beans, eggplants, peppers, peas, corn, etc.). COOPMUCAVA’s members have a great desire to provide a feeling of development and well-being to their communities. To achieve this, they seek to offer economic sustainability for their associates. This is why they are extremely interested in stablishing formal commercial ties with potential clients to have a more constant income and to be able to provide higher quality products for the market. 

Expected volunteer deliverables: 

Providing COOPMUCAVA with a guide to create business proposals, basic market research, and marketing strategies.  

Providing COOPMUCAVA with a production/commercialization record-keeping tool for data recollection.   

Objectives:  

• To support COOPMUCAVA with the marketing and commercialization of their crops based on planification, business proposals, and identifying market opportunities. 

• To provide COOPMUCAVA with a guide to create business proposals, basic market research, and marketing strategies.  

• To provide COOPMUCAVA with a production/commercialization record-keeping tool for data recollection.   

• Degree in agriculture, marketing or similar.  

• Experience working with food systems/agribusiness. 

• Experience with market research and planification for agricultural enterprises.   

• Experience training groups of people. 

• Experience working with smallholding farmers.  

• Spanish speaking abilities are desired.   

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

NCBA CLUSA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a commitment to diversity.  All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, and legally protected characteristics for non-merit factors.