A new project aims to support connections among Africa's Diaspora to improve agriculture in Africa.
The National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is building a new online social action community to generate ideas, suggestions and data that will be used to inform development programme efforts that directly reach the poorest populations in Africa.

The Africa Rural Connect (ARC) project is being implemented by the NPCA to support connections among the African Diaspora and to improve the livelihoods of farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Africa Rural Connect (ARC) is an experiment in global collaboration, says the organisation, and a chance to put collective thoughts together to assemble the best business plans for agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

"We suggest that the people who have lived or worked in Sub-Saharan Africa offer their perspectives or expertise to help women farmers and improve the livelihoods of the poorest populations there," says the NPCA. "Their contributions fill this online community with creative and practical plans that will gain exposure and financial support for implementation."

NPCA is building the online community for ARC using a new work collaboration web technology platform and, once the website is established, the ideas, suggestions, and data derived from the network will be used to influence development programmes targeting rural populations in Africa. It will focus on agriculture-related issues including food production, storage, transportation, agribusiness, markets and market information, and research.

The network will blend the inside knowledge of Africans, Peace Corps Volunteers and Africa scholars to innovate ways to bring about positive economic development in Africa. The project will benefit greatly from the involvement of first generation Africans who want to share their stories about their home countries, and recommendations on these topics, with others in North America and around the world.

Africa Rural Connect is a work collaboration space where each idea matters and can build upon previous suggestions, says the organisation; a place "where we are not just talking in circles, but actually getting things done."

The concept is simple, says Molly Mattessich, Manager of Africa Rural Connect and a returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Mali from 2002-2004.

"There's no silver bullet for solving rural Africa's greatest challenges. It's going to take all of us to combine our experience, expertise, and commitment to Africa to find the best solutions and turn them into plans that our partners and sponsors can ultimately help implement.

In the ARC community, we blend the insights of Africans, Peace Corps Volunteers, Africa scholars, and development workers to enhance project plans. Everyone's role is to offer ideas and help others build or improve upon their own plans based on their own experiences."

The network will blend the inside knowledge of Africans, Peace Corps Volunteers and Africa scholars to innovate ways to bring about positive economic development in Africa.

The National Peace Corps Association is a non-profit organization connecting, informing and engaging returned Peace Corps volunteers, former Peace Corps staff and friends of Peace Corps committed to fostering peace through service, education and advocacy.

Nothing like the Africa Rural Connect project has been attempted before, says the organisations, and the African Diaspora is a vital component to building this network. In essence, they say, the National Peace Corps Association is giving Africans a voice to help themselves.

"We're creating a place where your best ideas for Africa can be developed into plans that help women farmers and improve the livelihoods of the poorest populations in Sub-Saharan Africa," says Mattessich.

"African professionals in the Diaspora are a vital component to building and contributing to this network, and are in an unparalleled position to do so."

"We are excited by the possibilities of helping Diaspora members connect and create this self-sustaining virtual community in which the ideas from those who understand Africa best can be heard and even one day implemented. We are also interested in profiling people of the Diaspora who stay connected to their countries or work on agricultural projects on our website, to provide inspiration to others."

Creating a profile for Africa Rural Connect provides an online space to connect with other skilled professionals of African origin, and a great networking tool for Africans working or interested in agriculture, gender issues, and a variety of other development concerns.

You can create a profile on the Africa Rural Connect online social action network at http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/arc and offer your ideas on agricultural development in Africa.

In the summer of 2009, the National Peace Corps Association will coordinate a contest with up to $50,000 in prizes for the best business plans to improve agricultural practices in Sub-Saharan Africa. Site Moderators will be encouraging people to post their ideas, big or small. Each contribution is considered valuable in its own right and any seed of thought can grow into a full-fledged project plan.

In the summer of 2009, the National Peace Corps Association will coordinate a contest with up to $50,000 in prizes for the best business plans to improve agricultural practices in Sub-Saharan Africa.

By editing, offering suggestions, criticisms, and support of ideas and plans, the ARC community avoids reinventing the wheel of African developmental initiatives. Members of this community can share their technical knowledge and authentic experiences to add valuable contributions to every element of a plan.

"Final contest entries will be due by October 31, 2009," says Mattessich. "However, we encourage people to submit their entries as soon as possible in order to get higher ratings in the community and also gain insight and improve their plan with the help from fellow ARC community members."

On offer as the Grand Prize is an award of $25,000 to the winning project to implement the plan. NPCA will also arrange a meeting with donor organizations, including reasonable travel expenses. The 2nd Prize will consist of $10,000 to the project to implement the plan, and the 3rd Prize: $5,000 to the project to implement the plan.

"This is the space for people to offer their voice, their story, their thoughts, and their vision for Africa's economic and agricultural future."