Recipient Organization
HABESHA, INC
5350 FOX VALLEY TRACE
STONE MOUNTAIN,GA 300882614
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Although the number of Americans ages 25-34 entering the farm industry has grown (2,384 between 2007-2012), the number of African-Americans ages 18-35 have shown no gains (remaining at 3%). Since 2011, the HABESHA Works Program has trained over 120 black beginning farmers (ages 18-35) in sustainable agriculture and agribusiness development. Currently, 40% of program graduates are employed with farms and markets, or own small farms in the southeast. In order to support the long-term success of its growing network of graduates, HABESHA will launch the HABESHA Agricultural Leadership Opportunity (HALO Program).The HALO program will provide education related to 1) creating farm management plans, 2) developing farm business plans and improving business practices, and 3) building leadership qualities and supportive networks. The first phase of the program is a comprehensive curriculum that will use workshops, field trips, and practical exercises to guide participants through the development of a farm business plan and other learning objectives. The second phase, an applied learning intensive, will provide participants with farm mentoring and business coaching while they implement their farm business plan. Based on prior successes, HABESHA anticipates cohorts of 10 to 15 participants to complete the program annually.HALO program partners include the Food Well Alliance, a community-based organization that supports food equity initiatives in the Metro Atlanta area. One-hundred percent of the federal funds requested will be allocated to HABESHA Inc., a 501c3 not-for-profit, community-based organization. HABESHA will allocate 100% of the budget to serving socially disadvantaged (African-American) beginning farmers.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
In an effort to further support and build capacity for the beginning farmers it has trained, HABESHA has developed the HABESHA Agriculture Leadership Opportunity (HALO) Program.HALO proposes to re-engage former program participants in continuing education and training opportunities. The desired outcomes are aimed at building knowledge, skills sets and operating capacity of new farmers. Providing this structured engagement is expected to improve each participant's ability to: 1) create successful farm business plans; 2) maximize limited resources; 3) increase production; 4) engage with stakeholders; and 5) manage financial resources. HALO also expects to assist new farmers in building relationships and networks that will sustain business operations.Over the life of the grant, the HALO program aims to positively impact the farm businesses of up to 30 Black beginning farmers by providing education and support that enables the proper use of environmental, financial, and human resources to support farm operations in a more sustainable way. To ensure goal achievement, the HALO program sets forth the following objectives:Farm Management Planning: The HALO program will support farmers in creating successful farm management plans that aid in maximizing limited resources and improving production methods. Farmers will be educated on important elements of farm management and receive training in advanced agriculture techniques, which enhance the use of non-renewable resources and promote diversification in agriculture production.Farm Business Development: To ensure the long-term success of new farmers, the program will also deliver training and education on the development of a farm business plan and practices that build sustainability. This includes information on branding and marketing, farm financing, accounting and record-keeping, succession planning, and accessing capital and land resources.Farm Leadership: In order to further minimize barriers to entry for Black beginning farmers, the HALO program aims to facilitate professional development training focused on building supportive networks and building leadership qualities. Using tools developed by partnering organizations, HALO will train new farmers in social-emotional awareness, stress management and effective communication.The comprehensive curriculum will be delivered through hands-on training workshops, site visits, and course discussions facilitated by industry professionals. Participants will also be given access to a discussion board to encourage discussion and collaboration on homework assignments outside of designated meeting times.Farm Management Planning: In providing education and technical support toward the completion of a farm management plan (Objective 1) participants will receive classroom-style instruction to provide farmers with knowledge specific to regulatory requirements as a producer. Components will be supported with site visits to local farms and agricultural facilities to demonstrate practical applications. Instructional aspects and exposure to practical experiences will be supported by subject matter experts and reinforced through coursework assignments and group discussions.Farm Business Development: To ensure long-term success of new farmers, HALO will introduce business development professionals, entrepreneurs, and financial experts to facilitate workshops and presentations on financial management, and branding and marketing (Objective 2). In addition to receiving information from these subject matter experts, HABESHA will also use in-class exercises and homework assignments to guide participants through the development of a farm business plan. Each exercise will provide instruction and feedback on an element of the business plan and will be supplemented with literature produced through SARE and the USDA Beginning Farmer/ Rancher Development Grants. This includes materials such as Building a Sustainable Business, Large-Scale Help for Small-Scale Farmers, Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities, Managing Risks on the Small Farm, and "How to Begin Your Small Farm Dream."Farm Leadership: To minimize barriers to entry for Black beginning farmers (Objective 3), HABESHA will leverage its partnerships with organizations such as the AYA Educational Institution and Jomoworks to facilitate a discussion on culturally relevant leadership development. Participants will be engaged in exercises such as the Structured Dialogue Method and the Warrior, Healer, Builder (WHB) communication methods. This component of the HALO program is incorporated to build professional qualities in new farmers that will support their growth and success as entrepreneurs. The HABESHA business development coach will also provide individualized support to participants to advise their crafting and delivery of a business "pitch." Coaching will provide direction around effective and compelling written and verbal communication. For practical application of this lesson, participants will pitch their business concept to a panel of experts to encourage their support in implementing an element of the participant's farm business plan.
Project Methods
The comprehensive curriculum will be delivered through hands-on training workshops, site visits, and course discussions facilitated by industry professionals. Participants will also be given access to a discussion board to encourage discussion and collaboration on homework assignments outside of designated meeting times. By the conclusion of the HALO comprehensive curriculum, participants will have prepared both a farm management and farm business plan. All participants who complete the HALO comprehensive curriculum will be provided an opportunity to execute an aspect of their management plan or business plan with direct guidance and support provided through the Applied Learning Intensive.The next phase of the program will provide participants with hands-on support from farm mentors and business professionals while they apply concepts learned through the curriculum. To be eligible to participate in the applied learning intensive, beginning farmers will need to craft and deliver a pitch to encourage a panel of experts to provide support to help them implement an aspect of their farm business plan. The panel will then provide feedback to the participant and place them into one of the two following tracks. Each track is designed to pair each participant with a mentor farmer and provide additional resources based on their needs and goals.Farm Mentorship and Business Coaching:This track would pair beginning farmers with a mentor farmer and the HABESHA business development coach to provide guidance and support in the implementation of an element of their farm business plan. For example, if a beginning farmer has an established farm, but is interested in raising chickens, then this option would provide that farmer with an experienced mentor who would guide them in implementing their animal husbandry plan and a business coach that would advise them on licensing, food processing options, and marketing. Farm mentors and the HABESHA business development coach will be provided with a copy of the participant's plan which will outline their goals. Mentors will be expected to visit the mentee farm and provide direct guidance with each mentee for at least 30 hours over the four-month period. Partnerships with the Food Well Alliance, who has access to a network of 131 farmers, food makers, and vendors within the Metro Atlanta area will provide assistance in recruiting and pairing participants with mentor farms based on their identified interests and project goals. Funds for this project will be made available to mentor farmers to compensate them for time away from their own farm businesses as well as reimbursements for their travel to any participant farm sites.Farm Mentorship and Business Coaching w/ Land Access:In addition to the guidance of a farm mentor and the HABESHA business development coach, this track would place participants on an incubator farm to cultivate an assigned growing space. For example, if a participant is interested in growing oyster mushrooms to sell to local restaurants but does not have access to land, then this option would pair the participant with a farm mentor on an incubator farm. The farm mentor would provide guidance around growing strategies and food production practices. The participant would also work with the HABESHA business development coach to receive guidance on licensing and marketing. Participants will be responsible for all crop production and sales from their assigned growing space. Since this is designed to be a learning experience, the participant will retain any profit from sales to motivate them to apply marketing and financial management concepts taught in the curriculum. Funds for this project will compensate the farm mentors for time away from their own farm businesses as well as the provision of growing spaces to participants. We have several potential incubator farms within the Metro Atlanta area including Truly Living Well, Metro Atlanta Urban Farms, Phoenix Farms, and Organic High Yield.Program Completion and Support for Continued Professional DevelopmentParticipants who successfully complete the entire program, the HALO curriculum and Applied Learning Intensive, will receive a Certificate of Completion. To ensure their continued success and support for the business elements they have implemented, each participant will have the opportunity to further their professional development by attending a conference or trade show of their choice. Participants are encouraged to showcase the work they accomplished by proposing and delivering poster sessions at an agricultural conference. Funds will be utilized to provide a scholarship of $1,250 to participants to cover conference registration costs as well as other travel-related expenses. Any participant who applies and is selected to deliver a poster session will have the costs of the poster covered as a dissemination cost.