About The Job

Apply by :

October 1, 2025

Know By

December 1, 2025

Depart On

June 6, 2026

Duration

1 year, plus 3 months training

ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Project description

Can you imagine working in a field in a rural village alongside local farmers, incorporating new varieties of sweet potatoes rich in Vitamin A? Or collaborating with students on a school garden? Or supporting a local farming cooperative to raise bees to generate income? If so, Peace Corps is seeking applicants like you who have the passion to join the ranks of nearly 4,000 Volunteers who have served in Cameroon since 1962.

Volunteers in the Agriculture Extension project work with technical counterparts to help strengthen the capacity of small-scale farmers and youth to improve crop and livestock production, nutrition, and income security. They support the Government of Cameroon’s efforts to improve agricultural productivity and promote resilient agricultural techniques.

Agriculture Volunteers Are Assigned To Rural Farmer Organizations In Villages And Small Towns Ranging From 500-7,000 People. In Collaboration With An Experienced Counterpart, Volunteers Work With Cooperatives And Other Farmer-led Groups To Improve Agricultural Practices. They May Also Work In Nearby Schools To Promote School Gardens. Volunteers Collaborate With Their Work Counterparts To Undertake Many Activities, Including

• conducting field trials and demonstrations with farmers related to land preparation methods, crop rotation, usage of improved seeds, intercropping, appropriate spacing, compost and fertilizer use, and pest management;
• improving production of indigenous or newly introduced varieties of staple fruits and vegetables using bio-intensive techniques with farmers and students;
• promoting the cultivation of nutrient-dense crops including orange-flesh sweet potato, bio-fortified cassava, soy, corn, moringa, and indigenous vegetables;
• co-training small-scale farmers on improved small animal husbandry practices (mainly beekeeping);
• co-training small-scale farmers in the creation of nurseries and growing of fruit trees and agroforestry tree species;
• engaging with women-led farming groups on nutrition education and cooking nutritious meals using locally available and affordable foods such as soy, corn, cassava, sweet potato, moringa, eggs, and vegetables.
  
  

Volunteers spend a substantial amount of time in the field with farmers to promote best practices and build capacity on improved agricultural management practices and technologies including environmental adaptation and resilience. Volunteers work with their counterparts to support farmers in establishing and/or diversifying their farm production, adopting new or improved small animal husbandry practices, and increasing their consumption of a variety of nutritious foods. Agriculture Outreach Volunteers also collaborate with Education and Health Volunteers and their counterparts to implement school gardens and nutrition activities.

During Pre-Service Training, Volunteers are equipped with technical knowledge and skills on topics relevant to their service. After training, Volunteers travel to their assigned communities, where they integrate and conduct their work with interested individuals and organizations. A Volunteer’s daily activities may depend heavily on the farm location, farming season, and weather.

Peace Corps has developed tools to help you and your Cameroonian counterpart perform an initial needs assessment in a culturally appropriate way that will provide information about the needs of the community in relation to your program goal and objectives. Among the keys to success are integration into your community, which helps you develop and maintain meaningful relationships with community members and your ability to communicate in the local language.

Required Skills

Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working in agriculture and one or more of the following criteria:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
  
  

OR

• 5 years' professional work experience