Enhance Bean and Potato Production Training for Trainers - Volunteer Position - Onsite in //h2[text()="Country"]/following-sibling::p[1]//text()[normalize-space()]
Peace Corps
United States
Posted on Apr 12, 2026
Start date
July 1, 2026
End date
January 6, 2027
Duration
27 weeks
ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.
Activity/project background
Over the years, the Super Buddies Club has delivered education and services through school-based interventions, peer education, community forums, and digital platforms. In addition to advocacy, it provides direct support to survivors of violence against men and women, HIV-affected individuals, orphans, and incarcerated youth. Recognizing the importance of economic empowerment, the organization established the Ngihlomise Youth Skills Academy in Big Bend and supported the creation of the Chakaza Kupheleni Cooperative Society. The academy equips out-of-school youth with vocational skills, and the cooperative empowers rural community members in Kupheleni Community—including women and youth—to participate in agri-business ventures. Current activities include training in vocational and entrepreneurship skills and in grain, vegetable farming and agri-business skills.
Farmers in the cooperative seek to expand into bean and potato production—commodities in high demand in Eswatini but with high-entry costs due to expensive seeds. The cooperative is requesting a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to support the farmers by providing virtual training-of-trainers sessions on the production of quality bean and potato seeds. This will help reduce input costs, improve seed availability, and generate additional income for the co-operative through seed sales. By training trainers within the co-operative VSPP will ensure skills are cascaded to all members, promoting sustainability.
The organization has previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a Peace Corps Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.
Engagement and tasks
The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their host country partners:
Online collaboration will generally occur between 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Eswatini time (SAST). Specific times will be determined during orientation.
The host country counterpart will have access to Zoom, WhatsApp, and email for regular communication and collaboration.
Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.
Optional Additional Activities
The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
Essential Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in agronomy, horticulture, or related field
Experience: 1 year of farming or agricultural training
Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually
July 1, 2026
End date
January 6, 2027
Duration
27 weeks
ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.
Activity/project background
Over the years, the Super Buddies Club has delivered education and services through school-based interventions, peer education, community forums, and digital platforms. In addition to advocacy, it provides direct support to survivors of violence against men and women, HIV-affected individuals, orphans, and incarcerated youth. Recognizing the importance of economic empowerment, the organization established the Ngihlomise Youth Skills Academy in Big Bend and supported the creation of the Chakaza Kupheleni Cooperative Society. The academy equips out-of-school youth with vocational skills, and the cooperative empowers rural community members in Kupheleni Community—including women and youth—to participate in agri-business ventures. Current activities include training in vocational and entrepreneurship skills and in grain, vegetable farming and agri-business skills.
Farmers in the cooperative seek to expand into bean and potato production—commodities in high demand in Eswatini but with high-entry costs due to expensive seeds. The cooperative is requesting a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to support the farmers by providing virtual training-of-trainers sessions on the production of quality bean and potato seeds. This will help reduce input costs, improve seed availability, and generate additional income for the co-operative through seed sales. By training trainers within the co-operative VSPP will ensure skills are cascaded to all members, promoting sustainability.
The organization has previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a Peace Corps Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.
Engagement and tasks
The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their host country partners:
- Co-assess current agricultural extension materials about bean and potato production
- Co-design a structured virtual training curriculum which covers: the basic agronomy of beans and potatoes; seed production processes; land preparation and planting techniques; crop management and seed quality; fertilizer application and pest control; harvesting; post-harvest handling and storage; seed testing and certification procedures; marketing and record-keeping; and trainer-to-farmer extension approaches
- Co-train trainers on bean and potato seed production
Online collaboration will generally occur between 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Eswatini time (SAST). Specific times will be determined during orientation.
The host country counterpart will have access to Zoom, WhatsApp, and email for regular communication and collaboration.
Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.
Optional Additional Activities
The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
Essential Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in agronomy, horticulture, or related field
Experience: 1 year of farming or agricultural training
Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually