Job Announcement
Small Farm Education Program (PEPA) Coordinator
The Rural Development Center (RDC) is a community based agricultural
training and resource center serving farmworkers and family farmers in the
Salinas Valley, California. We promote self-reliance by helping aspiring
and established farmers gain the skills and experience they need to
initiate and enhance their own operations and improve their economic
condition. RDC Staff are bilingual and most educational activities are
conducted in Spanish. The Small Farm Education Program or Programa
Educativo para Pequeños Agricultores (PEPA) is a 5-month program that
teaches agricultural production and farm management, with an emphasis on
sustainable practices. Our 100-acre organic farm also offers participants
the opportunity to acquire practical experience by becoming farmers
on-site for up to 3 years after completion of PEPA. Through classes,
workshops, seminars, conferences and farm tours participants gain
knowledge and skills in: farming equipment operation and maintenance;
vegetable crop production; soils; cover crops and composting; irrigation
management; disease, pest and beneficial insect identification; Integrated
Pest Management; recordkeeping; employer responsibilities; production and
certification of organic crops; and marketing strategies for the small
farmer.
Responsibilities: Under the supervision of the RDC's Director, the PEPA
coordinator is primarily responsible for designing and implementing the
5-month training and education program and for providing technical
assistance throughout the year to program participants, on-site aspiring
small farmers, and to established Latino small farmers in the Central
Coast (Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties) region. This includes
teaching classes (usually held once or twice a week in the evenings) and
coordinating workshops and all program activities with RDC staff.
Qualifications:
· Practical farming experience or comparable training (University or
technical school degree); good knowledge of IPM, Soil conservation, Water
management, plant diseases and pests, organic and conventional farming
practices and principles, equipment use, and general marketing and
recordkeeping.
· Teaching ability, especially for empowering low literacy to illiterate
people.
· Strong commitment to community based education and sustainable agriculture
· Strong commitment to the community served by RDC programs
· Strong communication skills for facilitation of classes, workshops and
meetings
· Ability to work well as part of a team and to engage in long-term planning
activities
· Motivated and organized self-starter
· Bilingual: full Spanish proficiency and familiarity with Mexican-American
language; good English speaking ability
This is a full-time position with a benefits package. Salary will be based
on a community-based organization scale adjusted to Salinas, California.
Interested candidates should send a resume with salary history and
references and a cover letter to:
Search Committee, PEPA Position
Rural Development Center
P.O. Box 5415
Salinas, CA 93915
Or fax it to (831) 758-3665
Review of applications will begin November 30, 1998 and will continue until
a selection is made.
Selene Jaramilo
Rural Development Center
P.O. Box 5415
Salinas, CA 93915
(831)758-1469
Fax: (831)758-3665
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