Rural Agriculture Educator

Special benefits

• Extensive language, technical, and intercultural training
• Hands-on, valuable international work experience
• Travel to and from country, housing and monthly living allowance, and full coverage of medical and dental needs during service

• Competitive advantage for federal hiring and opportunities to save on graduate degrees and other education programs
• Monthly accrued Volunteer service award (readjustment allowance) totaling $10,800 before taxes, with option to access for ongoing financial obligations

Key dates

Apply by
November 15, 2026

Know by
January 1, 2027

Depart on
June 19, 2027

Duration
2 years, plus 3 months training

About the project

Ready to roll up your sleeves and strengthen sustainable agriculture in rural Panama? Support smallholder farming families as they work to improve resilient livelihoods.

Many Indigenous communities in Panama rely on subsistence farming as their primary livelihood. However, land degradation, high production costs, and low yields threaten sustainable income. These challenges persist due to the communities' geographic isolation, limited technical support from agriculture authorities, and changing weather patterns. Strengthening agricultural systems is a national priority, yet Indigenous communities often lack the resources and extension services needed to adopt improved practices.

As a Rural Agriculture Educator, you will support local farmers to apply practical techniques to address agriculture production issues, such as soil conservation, integrated pest management, or post-harvest management. You will support cooperatives and farming groups to explore cash crops or the production of artisanal goods. You will develop the community's marketing, budgeting, and organizational skills. Finally, you'll encourage a nutritious diet by introducing families to underutilized crops and new recipes. Your support will equip farmers with new ideas, approaches, and skills to address common agricultural challenges. Your collective efforts will lead to more resilient livelihoods, improved food security, and sustainable agricultural systems that can support Indigenous communities for generations to come.

Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our Panama project page .

Requirements

Behavioral competencies

These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:

1. Motivation for and commitment to service
2. Adaptability and open-mindedness
3. Problem solving and resourcefulness
4. Behavioral maturity and professionalism

Education/experience

Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:

Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
OR
Bachelor's degree in any field.
OR
High school diploma or GED and 4 years of full-time post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
Spanish language

Qualified candidates will meet one of the following criteria:

1. High school: Completed 4 years of Spanish coursework within the past 8 years
2. College: Completed Spanish Elementary II (e.g., 102, 1002) in the semester system (Elementary III in quarter system) within the past 6 years
3. College Level Examination Program (CLEP): Score 50-62 on the Spanish exam in the past 6 years
4. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL): Score of Novice-High or Intermediate-Low on official Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in Spanish within the past 6 years
5. Native Spanish speaker