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 WASHINGTON,  April 29, 2013  /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today ACDI/VOCA's11,000th  volunteer returns from  Lebanon, fresh from training farmers on amarket information system. Such specialized ACDI/VOCA volunteers have traveledto 130 countries over the past 42 years. Their expertise has ranged fromartichoke production to product packaging, from rural finance to slaughterhousemanagement, from animal breeding to coffee cupping.(Logo: 
  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120308/DC67185LOGO-b
 )  ACDI/VOCA empowers people to succeed in the global economy through approximately75 current programs worldwide in food security, agribusiness, financialservices, community development and enterprise development.In developing and transitional nations, small- and medium-scale producer groupsand enterprises drive economic growth but need technical and managerialassistance, appropriate equipment, partners, and new markets and the means toreach them. Volunteers bridge this gap with training, advice on best practicesand assistance with plans for growth, helping men and women build localbusinesses, rural economies and regional trade.  "We are fortunate to have so many high quality professionals in this countrywilling to volunteer their valuable time.  Our volunteers often tell us theylearn as much as they teach on their assignments," said  Diana Roach, seniordirector at ACDI/VOCA.ACDI/VOCA Celebrates the Service of Volunteer Experts  ACDI/VOCA volunteer assignments are entirely field driven. Candidates arerecruited and placed based on the needs of clients participating in theorganization's long-term development programs. Most ACDI/VOCA volunteers areseasoned, mid-career or retired professionals who serve in short-term (two- tothree-week) technical assistance assignments, helping programs achieve more withless donor funds. The approximately 300 volunteers who serve each year represent $2.7 million  of technical assistance value.USAID John Ogonowski and  Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer ProgramACDI/VOCA sends volunteers to  Africa  and the  Middle East  as part of the U.S.Agency for International Development's Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program, whichrelies on the expertise of volunteers from U.S. farms, universities,cooperatives, businesses and nonprofits to respond to particular local needs indeveloping countries.  Dr.  Archie Devore, a dairy specialist with the Missouri Extension Service,traveled to  Lebanon  in 2009 as a Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer to evaluate thefeed practices of local dairy producers. Dr. Devore found that most Lebanesesmall-scale dairy farmers purchased ready-mixed feed rations that lack thenutrients needed for optimal production. Dr. Devore built on this firstassignment to improve knowledge of key but cost-effective nutrients, and overthree years conducted training to benefit the producers, feed manufacturers,researchers and technicians.  He said, "I have seen a tremendous increase in understanding of principles as aresult of the five F2F assignments that I have made to  Lebanon. Minds have beenchanged, and nutrition and feeding of dairy cows has been improved as a result.I am so pleased to have been able to have the opportunity to observe thetransformation taking place in  Lebanon  during the short span of four years."People-to-PeopleVolunteers add an important people-to-people element to development initiatives,building relationships with individuals and businesses from small farms tofinancial institutions, large processing companies and business serviceproviders. These relationships are not fleeting; they often result in long-termbusiness linkages and cultural exchanges. Volunteers learn from first-handexperience the value of foreign assistance.For more information visit:  
  www.acdivoca.org/volunteer
 Contact:Anja Tranovich1-202-469-6095ATranovich@acdivoca.orgSOURCE  ACDI/VOCA