ADM Cares has awarded ADMI funds for a collaborative project that harnesses the strengths of the University of Illinois and two partners in The Phillipines, Sigay Kauyagan and Mindanao State University (MSU), to improve the sustainability of farming practices, food security, and human health by reducing postharvest losses and mycotoxin contamination. This project also empowers student interns by training them in regenerative agriculture and postharvest management so they can share their knowledge with farm families.
ADMI, Sigay Kauyagan, and MSU will design and implement an intensive training of 20-30 YouthTeam interns in regenerative agriculture, postharvest management, community outreach and facilitation, and field data collection. The student interns will participate in the translation of instructional videos into local languages and develop training materials and will then travel to 25-30 villages to conduct a rapid assessment of current soil management and postharvest practices. After the assessment, the YouthTeams, working in small groups, will conduct educational sessions for families in the villages. Four months after the village trainings, the YouthTeams will return to the villages to assess impact and to refresh training. Throughout, ADMI will provide academic supervision, program design, assistance in assessing and documenting impact, and supervision of student research.
The project will begin in August 2025. The PIs are Paul McNamara and Anna Snider.
Expected outcomes include:
- 20-30 YouthTeam interns trained in regenerative farming methods and postharvest management
- 1000 village families trained in regenerative farming and postharvest management
- 400-600 volunteer hours completed by YouthTeams interns in community outreach in food security, sustainability, and human health.
