Production Cost Analysis Internship, Fair Trade Production

An internship opportunity is available with small farming cooperatives working towards fairtrade compliance, as part of CRACYP’s sustainable rural development work in the Ecuadorian Andes. 

CRACYP (which stands for Rural Reforestation and Progress Network Corporation, in Spanish) is a non profit organisation working in over 200 communities on the borders of the Cotopaxi, Bolivar and Los Rios provinces in Ecuador.  

CRACYP’s aim is "Progreso Verde" or "Green Progress" - conservation of the environment and economic and social development of local communities.  We aim to transfer appropriate technology and sustainable alternative agricultural methods, in exchange for community participation in reforestation.  This process also increases the production alternatives and resources of the communities involved, improving their quality of life.  

Our organic sugarcane farming cooperative, CADO, markets fair trade, organic alcohol for use in cosmetics.  We need an intern with relevant business studies or experience to do a production cost analysis on the farms and micro-distilleries owned by CADO members.  The intern you will visit farms and micro-distilleries to interview farmers and collect quantitative data on their costs of operation, and create cost analysis reports for small, medium, and large farms and for both horse- and machine-powered micro-distilleries. 

This is a great opportunity for a student or graduate to gain practical field experience in rural development and fair trade production.  As well as helping the project improve its fair trade status and thus set fairer prices, the intern will also participate in monthly development workshops. 

Interns will be based in an organic sugar cane farming community in the foothills of the Andes, a beautiful area with a subtropical climate.

Time commitment: 4-12 weeks, any time between February and November.  Prospective interns must have strong Spanish language skills, a good rapport with people and the ability to create simple spreadsheets in Excel and produce concise, informative reports.  Experience in marketing, statistics or information gathering would be helpful.

More details download the intern information pack and production cost analysis info sheet from:  http://www.progresoverde.org/internship.html or email internship.ecuador@yahoo.co.uk.  Please quote reference SDCosNov12 when you apply.