IE3 INTERNSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT: India
Gain professional experience, build your resume, get academic credit and spend time abroad all at the same time through an IE3 International Internship!
The Malnad Home Garden and Seed Collective - Sirsi, India
About the organization: The Malnad Home Garden and Seed Exchange Collective began in the summer of 2001 in the hilly Malenadu region of the Western Ghats in Southern India. This particular region is mostly tropical forest that is regarded as an ecological hot spot, featuring a number of endemic species, including food and medicinal plants. Sadly, the region faces the problem of deforestation, and thus biodiversity loss, complemented by a lack of initiative from higher authorities in creating and acting on environmental policies. Within the collective, the home garden is emphasized as a means to halt the downward spiraling trend of deforestation and species loss. Home gardens are repositories of biological diversity and therefore a source of food security, nutrition, and medicine, with opportunities to generate a stable, alternative source of income. Members of the collective are spread throughout the region, binding people of various economic levels, from the very wealthy to the very poor.
Job Description Activities may include research, documentation and writing, field visits, practical work on the farm in the nursery, vegetable garden, tree planting, earth work, seed sorting and packing, or manual work, specific help with festivals or workshops, and any other specific tasks that the intern has taken on.
Students with backgrounds in the following fields are highly encouraged to apply:
• Tropical agro-forestry (including nursery and seed work)
• Agriculture (including practical work)
• Ecology, environment and development issues
• Graphic design and Art (including computer skills)
• Marketing or social entrepreneurship
• Product and package design
• Carpentry, masonry and other areas of hands-on work (for our green architecture and design)
No Hindi or Kannada is required for this internship, but an enthusiasm to learn and preparation before leaving will go a long way in interactions with the people of the collective. Interns will stay at the farm and have 1-2 weekend homestays (with farmers’ families who are part of the collective) arranged per month. Food will be simple, mostly vegetarian food with seafood once or twice a week depending on season and availability. A good portion of the food will be organic and locally grown. The area is famous for its delicious cuisine!
For full position description see Web site:
http://ie3global.oregonstate.edu/ie3/openings/india06.html
IE3 Deadlines:
Spring Term: November 15
Summer Term: January 25
Fall Term: April 15
Winter Term: September 1
Visit the UO Office if International Programs,
330 Oregon Hall, 346-3207
Check out our web site: http://ie3global.oregonstate.edu/ie3
IE3 Global Internship Program advisors: Andrea Herling (herling@uoregon.edu) and Cara Gilpin (ie3@uoregon.edu)
This is just one of the many opportunities offered though IE3 Global Internships. Come visit our office or web site to see what interests you.