USAID-funded Volunteers Help Belarusian Farmers :: Charter'97 :: News

U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Karen B. Stewart visited two local farms that received technical assistance through the CNFA Agribusiness Volunteer Program.

The trip included visits to two private farms, one currently hosting an American volunteer, Kholodon-Agro Farm, and another that graduated from assistance several years ago. Owners and managers of both organizations shared the history and successes of using services of American volunteers brought to Belarus by the Citizen’s Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA).

Kholodon-Agro Farm is a newly-privatized collective farm that specializes in grain and dairy livestock production. In 2005, four US volunteers offered assistance to Kholodon-Agro, addressing issues from quality forage crop production, soil and water conservation, cost-effective dairy cattle management and computerized ration balancing to the farm business planning and analysis. After the management team received training in the basics of no-till crop production, Kholodon-Agro requested assistance in developing a long-term strategy for the transition from conventional to no-till farming, and helping train the farm personnel to use and maintain the new
equipment. The no-till crops planted in the spring 2006 got 10-15% higher yields than their conventionally planted counterparts. Kholodon-Agro was also able to save labor and fuel costs, leading to a more profitable and environmentally friendly production system. This year, Kholodon-Agro plans to dramatically increase the area under no-till crops up to 300 ha. Jerry Grigar, a private farmer from Michigan, who has taught his Belarusian counterparts how to operate the new equipment, is currently assisting the farm with the spring sowing.

The investments in dairy, feed quality, and crop production at Kholodon-Agro led to a twofold increase in total revenues from sales of milk, meat, vegetables and other commodities. The farm management was also able to increase monthly wages for their 135 farm workers. Increased production, sales and overall efficiency of Kholodon-Agro Farm enabled the farm to turn from a loss-making operation into a profit generating enterprise over the course of 24 months since its registration, thus sustaining the livelihood of over three hundred Belarusians, farm workers and their family members.