1. Modern Dairy Processing and Farm Management at the
Irkutsk State Farm School
2. Khomotova School Agricultural Education Program
3. Ecomonitoring Project
4. Fish Farming and Training
5. Kadunskaya School Agricultural Education Program
The duration of the internships will be between
3-6 months, and the cost to each individual will be $1050. The
internships are as follows:
1. Modern Dairy Processing and Farm Management
Program Director: Nickolai Prokopiev (director of State College
agricultural school and state farm) and Irkutsk State Farm School
Description: The state farm produces 25% of all of the vegetables
and milk for Irkutsk, which has a population of 800,000. It owns
600,00 hectares of land and 700 milking cows. The farm recently
received a brand new, million dollar state of the art milk and cheese
processing center from Spain to make butter, cheese, and to
pasteurize milk. The program director, Nickolai Prokopiev, wants
to get involved with making potato chips and packaging. Currently,
Nikolai is privatizing the state farm and would like the intern to aid
in this process. The intern will work with private farmers and with
State Farm staff and State Farm School personnel.
American Intern Qualifications and Requests: There is no preference
as to male or female. The intern should be interested in agriculture
and ecology, and be familiar with modern dairy techniques. He/she
should have experience running either dairy or vegetable processing.
This individual should also be interested in education, as he/she will
be expected to come up with ideas about classes to integrate the
farm with school. Nikolai would like the intern to have either an
FFA or a 4-H background, as he is interested in youth organizations.
Living Arrangements: Nickolai would like this individual to stay for
six months. During this time, he/she will either live at Nickolai's
apartment in an urban setting and travel to the state farm every day,
or live at the farm. Whereas the apartment has many conveniences,
the farm does not. This individual should therefore be prepared to
live under Russian conditions. A knowledge of Russian is not
necessary.
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2. Khomotova School Agricultural Education Program
Project Director: Tamara Alexandrova Rikolova and the staff of
Khomotova School
Description: The Khomotova School relies on a traditional
agricultural curriculum which is not adequate for the present. The
school has its own farm, but does not use it efficiently and is
therefore not making money off of it. Khomotova is presently
working to establish a full, vocationally oriented curriculum which
covers all aspects of farming, including business. The school would
like to establish a good agriculturally-oriented youth program, such
as FFA, and would like to increase production on their farm.
American Internship Qualifications and Requests: The intern should
come from a rural area, have some knowledge of agricultural
education and youth programs, possibly with the idea of becoming a
teacher. He/she should also know something about ecology and
environmental education. Ideally, this individual should be and FFA
officer who is thinking of becoming a Voc-Ag instructor and who
may have a background in sustainable agriculture.
Living Arrangements: Tamara would like this individual to arrive any
time after November. He/she should be prepared to live under
Russian conditions, such as using outdoor toilets and taking showers
with the aid of buckets. There are not a lot of English speakers in
the area and this individual should therefore possess some knowledge
of Russian.
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3. Ecomonitoring Project
Project Director: Tatyana Drazdova
Description: The project director, Tatyana Drazdova, is the head
of the EPA in Dmitrov. She has worked with hospitals to put
together epidemiological information in order to link exposure to
farm chemicals to various illnesses. She has had difficulty getting
official information and therefore has relied mainly upon
conversations with farmers and doctors, as well as her own
observations. In the area, there are two hazardous landfills which
contain waste from Moscow. Drazdova would like to map the
seepage from this landfill at both ground level and under water.
She would like the intern to work in both of the aforementioned
areas. He/she will take readings from the landfills, as well as work
with her to interview farmers in order to get an idea about each
individual's exposure to pesticides.
American Internship Qualifications and Requests: There is no
preference as to male or female, but the individual should be at
the upper limits of the age allowance. The intern should have an
interest or knowledge of surface water problems connected with
rural areas and agriculture. He/she should know something about
pesticides, heavy metals and other contaminants which are
associated with water supplies. This individual should also be
interested in soil conservation and soil problems. Drazdova would
like the intern to do the technical aspects of the project, and it
would therefore be desirable for the intern to have an epidemiological
background and to be able to bring with them records of past studies
and evidence.
Living Arrangements: The intern will live with Drazdova and her
16-year-old son. She has a good sense of humor and will be a
wonderful host. Drazdova speaks a little English, and obtaining a
translator will not be a problem. However, it is best that the intern
be a Russian speaker, or at least have the capability to learn Russian.
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4. Fish Farming and Training:
Project Director: Yuri Kuklev
Description: The Dmitrov Fish College focuses primarily on
aquaculture, and is an alternative to high school. The 700 students,
2/3 of whom are women, begin at age 16 and can get their high
school diploma as well as their associate's degree. There are two
main divisions at this school -- the business aspects, such as book
keeping and accounting, and the technique area, such as how to set
up a fish farm and properly breed the fish. The All Russian Federation
Fish Institute is next door to the Fish College. This prestigious institute
has introduced sturgeon, cat fish, and Chinese crawfish into the Volga
region. It has an excellent reputation for its breeding skills and its
ability to extract eggs without killing the fish. Aquaculture is extremely
contaminating, and the institute has developed a recycling system in
which 98% of the water recycled is able to be used at the commercial
level. The institute would like to train people to commercially develop
the system, and is looking for an intern to work in this area. He/she
may be involved in the actual planning and development of the facility,
and also the training program to be offered to students and adults.
The Russians would also like the intern to help them in introducing
American fish, such as trout, into the Dmitrov region.
American Intern Qualifications and Requests: The intern should
have a knowledge of aquaculture, either in the areas of education
or commercial production. It is desirable that the candidate have
some knowledge of alternative energy sources, including wind
generation.
Living Arrangements: Kuklev is able to receive the intern at any
time, but the critical time is early spring (April) through the end of
summer. The project director speaks English and it is therefore
not necessary that the intern speak Russian.
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5. Kadunskaya School and Model Dairy Farm Assistance (Buryatia)
Program Director: Nina Baldonova of Kadunskaya School
Description: The school program involves a rural youth program,
a full agricultural education program, and adult education to farmers
and other local businesses. Kadunskaya's director, Nina Baldonova,
is extremely innovative. She is in the process of creating a Center
for Rural Youth to teach children how to be diverse in their farming,
have different types of on-farm occupations, and be sustainable.
The Center will bring urban and rural youth together this summer
by having children from Ulan-Ude travel to a camp on the edge
of the village in order to work on gardens and develop a greenhouse.
She hopes that this organization will become a model and spread
throughout the Republic. She is currently working with 4-H and
will bring her plan to the government in September. Nina is also
involved in adult education. She conducts workshops and talks
to schools for adult farmers. Nina would like this intern to help
her to create an interesting, vocationally organized curriculum for
a rural school.
American Intern Qualifications and Requests: The intern should
come from a rural background which includes conditions similar
to Buryatia's dry and arid climate, i.e. Nebraska, Montana,
Colorado, or the Dakotas. He/she should also have a dairy
background in order to assist the American farm manager.
Living Arrangements: The intern will live with the vice principal,
who does not speak English. The nephew of the school director,
as well as a couple of the students at the school speak English,
but it will be difficult to get a translator. Therefore, it is desirable
that this individual either speak Russian or have the capability to
learn Russian. He/she should be prepared to live under Russian
conditions, such as using outdoor toilets and taking showers with
the aid of buckets.
For information on how to apply for these internships, please contact
Heather Sheldon, REAP International's Exchange Program
Coordinator, or Bill Mueller, REAP International's Director, at:
(ph): (319)366-4230
(fax): (319)366-2209
(email): 0006513571@mcimail.com