Entrepreneurship and Small Business Advisor - Volunteer Position - Onsite in Panama • North America - 12 months

About The Project

Panama’s Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) is seeking support to strengthen rural and Indigenous youth organizations interested in expanding their capacity to market and sell agricultural products. Across the Veraguas province, rural and Indigenous youth face limited economic opportunities and significant barriers to entering local markets. Many communities depend on agriculture, yet young producers often lack the organizational skills, marketing knowledge, and confidence needed to commercialize their products. Recognizing this challenge, MIDA has identified youth integration into productive rural economies as a national priority. Through its Department of Rural Development, MIDA aims to bridge this gap by organizing youth groups, encouraging entrepreneurship, and promoting projects such as agro-tourism, agro-industry, food production, crafts, and cultural preservation.

Responsibilities

• Identify strengths, challenges, and training needs with local youth organizations.
• Develop a work plan with MIDA staff outlining goals, tasks, and marketing activities.
• Create a training plan focused on improving production, marketing, and value-added skills.
• Facilitate workshops that build youth capacity in leadership, organization, and basic business skills.
• Guide youth groups as they plan and practice marketing and value-added activities for their products.
• Support youth organizations in connecting with local, district, and provincial markets.
• Aid groups in organizing small fairs or promotional events to sell their agricultural products.
• Monitor and evaluate progress with partner institutions to strengthen long-term sustainability.
• Work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as supporting local cooperatives and helping to organize agricultural fairs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, administration, marketing, entrepreneurship, or business education.
• Two or more years of experience working at a startup/social enterprise or running a small business.

Key Dates

• APPLY BY : October 15, 2026
• KNOW BY : December 1, 2026
• DEPART ON : May 9, 2027
• DURATION : 12 months