Agroforestry

I will be an agroforestry volunteer during my time in Cameroon. So what exactly is Agroforestry? As I'm asked that question a lot, to be honest, I think it's a pretty vague and broad word, describing the use of trees in agriculture. It could mean combining agriculture and forestry through methods of intercropping trees and vegetables and other crops, using alleyways and windbreaks. It could mean reforestation efforts to improve water quality and soil quality. It could be focusing on the cultivation of "agriculture trees," fruit trees, such as mangoes, papayas, avacados, bananas, guavas. And that's all pretty broad. However agroforestry volunteers end up doing an even more wide variety of work at their sites, ranging from working with individual groups (school groups, women's groups, farmers cooperatives, church congregations) to forming community gardens or nurseries, soil conservation efforts, erosion control, small livestock raising, beekeeping and fish farming. (I hope to get as much experience as possible in all of these small project endeavors! especially with beekeeping, fish farming, and goat raising)
While that will be my primary job assignment, that is not to say that my duties and activities will be solely that. In fact, I think the most successful volunteers are those that go into their community and find out what the community really needs or wants and devotes their efforts to that, rather than having a preconceived notion of what their job may or should be. There have been many volunteers who have one designated assignment, and end up going to their location and finding out that other skills and projects are needed and wanted. Some agroforestry workers find that their village really has water issues and wants a well, and devote their time to that. Other water volunteers may find their village is more interested in other technical ideas, and shift their focus to respond to that. If they are flexible enough, they will help the village out in those areas and devote their time to that, and such experiences will likely be more successful as they will be identified by the village and wanted by the village, and therefore provide more ownership and relevence, and be continued after the volunteer leaves. So that is to say, we shall see what exactly I will be doing day to day!
In addition, volunteers are encouraged in what is called a "Secondary project" which is in another area outside their assignment. This could be working on HIV education, starting a school garden or nursery, organizing maternity education for women, starting a sewing organization, etc. I would love to get involved with women's groups, either working on sewing and clothing production, art and craftwork, and maternity. If I could work with a local midwife, that would be fantastic, as I am currently working on certification to be a doula (labor assistant) and have been reading books upon books on childbirth.
But we shall see. Like all things in the Peace Corps! I will only know once I arrive and find my place! :)