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Cornell University

Emerging Markets Program

Student Multidisciplinary Applied Research Teams (SMART) Program

Colombia: FCC

Overall Goal

SMART has been working with the Federación Campesina del Cauca (FCC) since 2015, helping the organization improve its agricultural services and outreach to its members. This year, SMART will be designing a business plan for their organic fertilizer production facility and soil testing laboratory.

 

Company/Business and Location

The FCC headquarters is in Popoyán, Colombia. Their organization represents farms located throughout the coffee-producing region of Cauca, Colombia.

 

Company Profile

The FCC is a member owned collective of over 600 farming families located in Cauca, Colombia. The majority of the FCC’s members live on small (<5 hectare) farms, and cultivate coffee as their cash crop. The FCC is committed to improving the economic, social, and environmental health of their communities by training members in environmentally sustainable, high quality coffee farming practices. By utilizing their collective bargaining power they also strive to fetch higher premiums for their crops.

 

Proposed Team Tasks

  1. Design a business plan for the fertilizer production plant.
  2. Develop a service portfolio for their planned soil test lab.
  3. Evaluate soil testing in the field and farmer buy-in

Skill Requirements

Preferred skillsets for working FCC include:

  • Majors related to economics, management, plant science, biology, natural resources, environmental engineering
  • Fluent Spanish preferred
  • Creativity and willingness to work in uncomfortable situations (it will rain, you will get dirty)

 

Suggested Timeline

Tentative dates are January 7-19, 2019

 

Team Leader

Juana Munoz Ucros, PhD Candidate, Horticulture: jm2355@cornell.edu

Adam Karl, PhD Candidate, Horticulture: adk83@cornell.edu

Additional Information

Website: http://www.fcccauca.org