Possible Projects in Nicaragua

Projects in Nicaragua Gain an understanding of the local culture and its relationship with coffee, one of the most traded commodities in the world. Impacts of the coffee crisis and the farmer's responses become a reality. Students will gain insight into the coffee supply chain, from planting to brewing, how a coffee enterprise is managed, as well as organic and conventional coffee growing methods. The local ecosystem, its biodiversity and how people and their culture interact becomes clearer.

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forms of social organization, namely cooperative structures and functions, like the relationship between UCA San Ramon and other cooperatives.
how micro-enterprise groups such as Grupos de Mujeres de Ahorro Solidario (Women Saving in Solidarity) help to improve the sustainability and well-being of the communities.
help pick and process coffee beans during the harvest season, October - January.

By the end of the internship the student will have made a positive impact not only on the community they have worked with but also developed invaluable knowledge that will be carried into their personal life and professional career.

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	Cooperative Development
	Access and Control of Land Holdings
	Youth of the Rural Communities
	Agricultural Production, Commercialization and Value Added Work
	Environment
	Social Themes
	Other Desired Areas of Support

Cooperative Development:

Compiling and organizing the stories of cooperative development in San Ramon and current challenges they may face.
Conduct a survey of the application/adherence of the rules and regulations of each cooperative affiliated with la UCA, by zone.
Conduct a study in how women and youth participate in the decision-making process and leadership within the cooperative and how this can be improved.
Research and write a proposal on how to integrate youth into the daily operations of the partner cooperatives to UCA San Ramon.

Access and Control of Land Holdings:

Survey, by zone, of land ownership by the cooperatives and communities. For example, land ownership as it pertains to: agrarian reform, the interaction between the indigenous communities, etc. This survey can be conducted at three different times, meaning one student may work in the Humid zone, one student may work in the Semi-Humid zone and another could work in the Arid zone.
Analyze the level of control and access to land for women and young people.
Create a study focusing on gender inequality in terms of land sales during the process of agrarian reform.

Youth of the Rural Communities:

The role of rural youth in the development of their cooperatives and/or their communities.
Participation of the youth in cooperative organizations and/or community-based organizations and proposals to increase the level of their participation and impact.
Analysis of the level of sexual and reproductive knowledge among youth in the cooperative.
Role of youth in the sustainable management of natural resources and the environment. For example, their participation in monitoring the agricultural environment, including inventories and surveys of home gardens. Youth of the community will accompany interns on this project.
Survey of the level of education among youth in the cooperative and make proposals to increase both formal and informal education through helping locate scholarships, etc.
Identify percentages of employment and migration. Identify where people are immigrating to and what their forms of livelihood are in these places.
Study of the politics of access for youth to land, the cooperative and their participation in the community as leaders.
Work with the youth of the cooperative on computer skills, including using the CAN website and developing the UCA website in English, etc.

Agricultural Production, Commercialization and Value Added Work:

Socioeconomic changes in families of the cooperative as a result of access to the Fair Trade market (case studies of a family or the cooperative).
Analyze viable agricultural alternatives not currently in use by cooperative members.
A study of the economic feasibility of establishing a value-added processor for the bananas, plantains, etc. (currently used as shade trees for the coffee) and its role in food security for the cooperative families.
Inventory of medicinal plants.
Characterizing agricultural, agroforestry, and forest grazing systems of production.
A study of the agricultural diversity on coffee farms.
Create an inventory of shade plants on the coffee farms and the role they play in the different stages of coffee growing.
Study the risk of losing native plant species diversity as a result of a climate change.
Study the risk of loosing indigenous corn varieties due to the introduction of transgenic corn.
Identify the techniques used in the rescue and preservation of indigenous grain seeds.
Study of the diversification and collection of the milk production in la UCA.
Identify the risks in food security for families affiliated with the cooperative.
Studies of family orchards as a forest grazing system and its contribution to the domestic economy and food security.
Analyze the potential of the agro-ecotourism project in cattle ranches.
Analyze the potential of honey bee production and commercialization.

Environment:

Map of coffee farms.
Develop maps of the community for the agro-ecotourism project (which can be used on the website, in brochures, etc.)
Studies of orchids, soils and climatology, production systems, and the social impact of the agro-ecotourism project in rural communities (use specific case studies, specify a focus, etc.)
Update the inventory of forest, bird, and orchid species.
Organic agriculture assessments (students can define their own themes but studies should be in the interest of la UCA.)
Develop new agricultural practices and experiment with different kinds of organic fertilizer.
Studies surrounding the management of good farming practices with coffee, basic grains, and/or sustainable agriculture.

Social Themes:

Studies identifying the existing inter-culturality within the cooperatives.
Studies of socio-economic conditions in indigenous communities.
Case studies that highlight the means of sustainable livelihoods amongst the cooperative members.
Studies investigating access of cooperative members to services such as: education, health, and hygiene.
Capturing and organizing experiences of work between the UCA and the cooperatives in the topic of gender.

Other Desired Areas of Support:

Reinforce knowledge of guides and homestay families with: culinary arts, forms of communicating, attention to visitors, computer and English classes.
Voluntary work in the community clinic.
English classes for tourist guides or in community schools, support in translation of documents.
Work in schools and/or community and school gardens.
Work in La Casa de Los Pipitos (for children with special needs) and in the dinning commons for infants.
Search for and write grants for various projects as defined by the cooperative.

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