Internship Opportunities with the Community Agroecology Network (CAN)

CAN field internships are rich learning experiences that allow students to make a difference as they learn. Academic credit is arranged through the field study / internship office at your university, in correspondence with field internship directors and the CAN Internship Coordinator. Qualified non-students may also serve as interns or volunteers in CAN communities.

The field study program builds mutually beneficial relationships between interns and Latin American farming communities. Community members open their homes to interns, working collaboratively with them to exchange knowledge and share ways of living. Farm families receive supplemental income and build friendships. Perspectives are challenged and shared, while respect is given to knowledge steeped in place and local experience. Through hands-on work, interns apply diverse skills and learn more than they ever anticipated. They participate in projects aimed at moving the communities toward economic and ecological sustainability. Interns and community members do not work in isolation but as interactive links in the CAN network of farm families, consumers, community organizations, researchers, students, and interns. The relationships that are formed build personal connections with the realities of global trade and agriculture.

CAN is a non-profit organization, affiliated with the University of California, Santa Cruz. In addition to coordinating field internships and grassroots marketing of fair trade direct coffee, CAN hosts an internship program at UCSC. Campus interns work integrally in all of our activities in the United States.

Coto Brus, Costa Rica

The Coto Brus internship is the most established of the three CAN internship programs in Central America, initiated in 1998. This program accepts self-motivated interns who can work collaboratively. Advanced Spanish language skill is preferred, but intermediate speakers will be accepted. Interns have the opportunity to work in community development efforts and develop independent research projects through the CoopePueblos Cooperative.

CoopePueblos works with CAN interns to develop alternative markets for local products, promote sustainable agriculture and implement reforestation projects.

Examples of past intern projects:

• Identification and labeling of native plant species - Yvea Eaton
• Consumer education video on sustainability issues in Coto Brus – Vivan Vadakan
• Study of alternative fertilizers in coffee nurseries – Alexa Kielty
• Assessment of the social and ecological sustainability of coffee production in Coto Brus – Laura Pavliscak
• Experiment on using oil palm ash for root knot nematode control in Coto Brus – Troy Henri

Cost of the internship

• $2000.00 for 10 weeks
• Orientation Packet: PDF Format | MS Word Format

Tacuba borders El Imposible National Park and the Meso-American Biological corridor. Tacuba's three coffee growing cooperatives will soon begin marketing their green coffee beans through CAN.

UCSC doctoral student and founder of ASINDEC (Asesoría e Investigación Interdisciplinaria para el Desarrollo Local y la Conservación), Victor Ernesto Mendez works with farmer cooperatives in Tacuba, researching and developing sustainable farming practices, biological conservation and livelihood enhancement.

Interns live in the ASINDEC residence and work with Ernesto and / or develop their own projects to complete. This program is open to independently motivated interns with high proficiency in written and spoken Spanish. Previous experience abroad is preferred.

Cost of the Internship

• $2,000.00 for 10 weeks

Fair Trade Internship Program

Matagalpa is located near the Yasica Sur and the Yucal Natural Reserves.

UCSC doctoral student Chris Bacon works closely with farmers and the UCA San Ramon cooperative conducting sustainable agriculture and market diversification action-research.

The UCA San Ramon cooperative is currently re-organizing and the internship is not available at this time. Check back in the future for updates.