EDUCATIONAL TRAINING AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL
AND SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS IN
ALABAMA INITIATIVE
THE CENTER
The Small Farms Research Center at
Alabama A&M University (AAMU) was first
conceived in 2000 with funding from USDA’s
Office of Outreach authorized under Section
2501 of the 1990 Farm Bill. The Center is
devoted to issues affecting the family farm and
assessing how such issues impact profitability
and overall sustainability of small farm
operations. AAMU’s 2501 project (a.k.a.
Small Farmers Outreach Training and
Technical Assistance Project) received its
initial funding in 1994. As project staff and
faculty grew in numbers and became diverse
and activities more complex and holistic in
nature, the need for a Center to conduct
sound and targeted research, provide quality
education and effectively deliver outreach
training
to
underserved
agricultural
producers became increasingly inevitable.
Thus, the Small Farms Research Center was
initiated in 2000 to conduct research and
provide services throughout Alabama, with
special and particular outreach emphasis on
21 underserved counties in north Alabama.
Small Farms Research Center
Alabama A&M University
4900 Meridian Street
James I. Dawson Building Room #219
P.O. Box 700
Normal, Alabama 35762-0700
Tel: 1-866-858-4970
Fax: 1-256-372-5517
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. Duncan M. Chembezi
Director & Professor
Alabama A&M University
(256)-372-4970
E-mail: duncan.chembezi@aamu.edu
Ms. E’Licia L. Chaverest
Program Manager & Marketing Specialist
Alabama A&M University
(256)-372-4958
E-mail: elicia.chaverest@aamu.edu
Mr. JaMarkus C. Crowell
Program Assistant
Alabama A&M University
(256)-372-4424
E-mail: jamarkus.crowell@aamu.edu
SMALL FARMS
RESEARCH CENTER
ALABAMA A&M
UNIVERSITY
4900 Meridian Street
James I. Dawson Building
Normal, Alabama 35762
Alabama A&M University’s Small Farms Research Center
Educational Training and Technical Assistance Initiative
PROJECT RATIONALE
The Small Farms Research Center at Alabama A&M
University will assist small and
socially
disadvantaged agricultural (SSD) producers and
forest landowners in Alabama. SSD producers face
many challenges to succeed in farming business.
Some of the commonly cited challenges include lack
of or limited access to capital, markets, land,
training, and overall technical assistance; ineffective
or obsolete farming techniques; lack of education
and/or experience in management and marketing;
language barriers and cultural differences; and
inability to access federal programs and services.
The project will focus on empowering small socially
disadvantaged producers to make decisions and
secure resources that will facilitate their success at
building sustainable farming and agricultural
businesses. Priority topics include: credit acquisition
management; business and financial management;
understanding how to access asset based farming
opportunities; and accessing government programs
administered by the USDA.
As a result, this project will provide training and
technical assistance to SSD agricultural producers
and deliver outreach services to a diverse group of
SSD producers.
WHO QUALIFIES AS SOCIALLY
DISADVANTAGED?
A socially disadvantaged producer is an individual
or entity that is a member of one of the social
disadvantaged group:
 African Americans
 American Indians
 Alaskan natives
 Hispanics
 Asians or Pacific Islanders
For an entity, at least 50 percent ownership in the
farm business must be held by socially
disadvantaged individuals.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Develop and assemble appropriate educational
materials and training modules for effective
training and timely information dissemination.
(2) Assist in owning and operating farms and
ranches by facilitating their equitable access to
and participation in, the full range of USDA
programs, services and resources.
(3) Assist in accessing viable markets and in
developing cooperative marketing initiatives for
mutual marketing benefit and production
efficiency by minimizing production, processing
and marketing costs and by focusing on
Alabama’s niche/ethnic and local markets.
(4) Provide target and need-based technical
assistance, education and training in a wide
range of key areas of need.
(5) Develop small socially disadvantaged farmers’
computer literacy, leadership, networking and
advocacy capacity to acquire access, use of
manage farmlands and government programs
efficiently and sustainably.
PROJECT MISSION
The Small Farms Research Center caters and assist
(SSD) producers through various methods which
includes but not limited to; short courses, one-on-one
consultations, workshops and conferences to promote
not only our services and programs but place great
emphasis on USDA programs and services available
to assist their farm
operations. With this
on-going approach, many
producers can gain the
excess knowledge to
sustain their farm.
Through this Educational
Training and Technical
Assistance
Initiative,
producers will advance in the following:
 Increased producer participation in USDA
programs,
 Increased minority land ownership,
 Improved
farm production, management,
marketing and computer skills
 Increased revenues from value-added products,
 Enhanced networking among SSD producers for
peer-to-peer learning for cooperative production
and marketing of agricultural products,
 Improved use and retention of farmlands and
ultimately increased farm profitability.
For more information, please contact us at
(256)-372-4970 or 1-866-858-4970