Volunteer Farm Consulting with Farmers in Zanzibar Tanzania

Frank Wertheim, UMaine Extension Professor Emeritus, recently returned from a month-long volunteer consultancy with farmers in the Zanzibar Islands of Unguja and Pemba with the USAID Feed the Future Program. Frank’s work included visiting with vegetable and passion fruit farmers to assess production issues and provide training for farmers and Government Agriculture Extension Officers. The goals of his work were to help smallholder farmers improve their crop production practices to enhance crop yields and provide for a better livelihood. Join Mr. Wertheim for a slide show and discussion of his experiences in Tanzania.

About the Presenter

Frank S. Wertheim is an Associate Extension Professor Emeritus, in Agriculture and Horticulture with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. During his 36-year Cooperative Extension career Wertheim developed educational programs for the farming and gardening communities across Maine. Wertheim has been a state and national leader addressing food insecurity for more than 20 years, including leadership of the Maine Harvest for Hunger and Maine Hunger Dialogue programs. Other noted accomplishments include development of the York County Master Gardener Volunteer program with 729 volunteers trained and the Kids Can Grow youth gardening initiative (which 500+ children successfully completed) and the development of the York County Farmers Network, which he helped establish in 2004. Currently, Frank spends one month each year volunteering with the USAID Feed the Future program helping African Smallholder Farmers improve their farming practices.