Considering your non-mandate, I’d suggest going where the intellectual and applied winds take you. Get your hands in the soil and with the trees and people as much as possible. Live with farmers and get their perspectives. Suerte!
-advice from someone I tried to get in touch with about organizations in Bolivia and Brazil.
Smart guy – this is what I’ve been slowly realizing myself. But it’s just so tempting to fall into that ‘work’ mode!