About this role
Food Security Extension Officer
Project Description: Guatemala is looking to strengthen its rural extension program with sustainable, agricultural practices, and you can lend a hand!
Guatemala faces one of the highest rates of chronic malnutrition in the northern hemisphere, with nearly half of children under five affected. Combined with rapid population growth and environmental pressures, the country’s malnutrition has created an urgent demand for agricultural systems to produce more food. Beginning in the 1980s, the country saw a 20-year gap in rural extension services as a result of the armed internal conflict. This led to a loss of best practices, leaving current food security service providers—such as extension agents and community promoters—without the training and skills needed to effectively support farmers. With the return of these extension services, it is critical to strengthen the country’s agricultural system for improved production and nutritional outcomes for rural households.
As a Food Security Extension Officer, you will collaborate with local food security service providers to strengthen local knowledge of participatory teaching methods, organizational skills, and participatory community development strategies. Together, you will foster sustainable practices that increase crop yields, expand diets, and strengthen household resilience. These efforts not only reduce food insecurity but also promote community integration, youth engagement, and economic opportunities helping to unlock Guatemala’s potential for growth and prosperity.
Required Skills: Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles). OR Bachelor's degree in any field. OR High school diploma or GED and 4 years of full-time post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
Living Conditions: Volunteers live and work in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango, Sololá, Quiche, Totonicapán, and Quetzaltenango. Most Volunteers live in medium-sized to larger rural communities (3,000 to 40,000 people) that have electricity and running water, but the supply may be intermittent. Volunteers will be required to live with a host family for the full duration of their service in Guatemala. While each living situation is unique, Volunteers can expect their own private bedroom and bathroom access.
Activities: Identify community strengths, needs, and resources using collaborative tools and approaches. Facilitate group training and field-based instruction for food security service providers and community members on adult learning methods, participatory community development, and community engagement strategies. Develop or update educational training resources in areas such as agriculture, nutrition, the environment, community leadership, and engagement strategies. Form farmer groups to encourage active participation from all community members. Connect community groups, local institutions, and government programs to strengthen collaboration and resource sharing.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as nutritional cooking demonstrations and school gardens.
Training: As a Food Security Extension Officer, you will be trained on sustainable agricultural strategies, project design and management, and participatory community development. Peace Corps/Guatemala will strengthen your Spanish language skills to help you reach an intermediate level of oral proficiency, which will help you live in and connect with the community. Volunteers in areas where Mayan languages are spoken may elect to study the language once they arrive at their assigned site.
After 10 weeks of training, you will move to your assigned community where you will collaborate with the local government and non-government organizations that support food security services. You will work with the community to assess the local needs and develop solutions based on local resources and agricultural best practices.
Job Highlights: Gain valuable, hands-on experience with sustainable farming for food security at the grassroots level. Strengthen Spanish language proficiency through daily immersion and collaboration with community members. Contribute to the betterment of rural Guatemalan households through a variety of food security extension services.