Increasing Professional Development Opportunities for Liberation Farms Service Providers to Expand Newcomer Farming Access to Impactful Support

Commodities

Practices

• Education and Training: demonstration, farmer to farmer, technical assistance, youth education
• Sustainable Communities: ethnic differences/cultural and demographic change

SBCA's agricultural program, Liberation Farms, serves 240 farmers on 104 acres in Wales, ME. It is a demonstration of the success that is possible when communities have the opportunity to organize and lead themselves. It provides new American families struggling with food insecurity with the tools and resources to grow healthy, culturally-appropriate foods for themselves and their community. This investment in growing nourishes body and soul as farmers ground into familiar traditions and meaningfully utilize their agricultural roots as they build new homes here in Maine. The Family Farmer program, serving 205 families, assists Somali Bantu Family Farmers by providing access to land, seeds, trainings, technical assistance, and marketing. All of the farmers receive 1/10 of an acre to grow food for themselves and their families. Our Iskashito farming program serves 35 farmers that choose to grow commercially and self-organize into collaborative groups. Iskashito is a traditional Somali method of cooperative growing where farmers work together on one piece of land and equitably share the profits of their combined labor and efforts. This program markets aggregated culturally relevant produce grown using chemical-free practices primarily at farmers markets and to wholesale accounts, the majority of which are food pantries, nonprofit organizations and collaborations.

SBCA's Liberation Farms Staff provide a range of services to Somali Bantu and newcomer farmers and require a broad knowledge base and skill set to address the evolving needs, goals, and aspirations of the farmers we serve. While we receive USDA grant funding that supports the training and resources needed for our farmers, we have not had success in supplying the means for our staff to experience regular, tailored, and adequate training to advance their skills and understanding, which will have a direct positive impact on the programming and support we offer at Liberation Farms. By focusing on those conducting direct service, trainings, skill-shares, and receiving feedback from our participants, we are investing in the quality and future of our programming and setting our farmers up for success in their agricultural and livelihood pursuits. The staff at Liberation Farms has selected a professional development strategy that includes a variety of experiences to enhance our understanding of other models, tailored trainings for our specific needs, and builds relationships with other organizations and community farms to foster support, opportunities for duplication, and a network of service providers.

5 service providers will implement 10 new skills to benefit 250 newcomer farmers who cultivate 23 acres at Liberation Farms in Wales, ME., and 20 farmers in Central ME.

5 production practices will be adopted by 125 farmers cultivating 12 acres at Liberation Farms as a result of interaction with Liberation Farms staff who have improved their knowledge, skills, and cultural competency as a result of increased professional development opportunities.