Over the years, the Jamaica 4-H Clubs has emerged as the leading organisation supporting youth in agriculture through its initiatives.
Business and Entrepreneurship Development Manager, Villet Kelly-Bennett, tells JIS News that the organisation has been assisting a number of young people in starting up or expanding their agribusinesses.
One channel through this is being facilitated is the Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (RYEEP).
“We have recognized that a number of the youth we have supported are good business prospects and have been supplying, not just their local communities, but supermarkets, for example. So they are good prospects for further investment to boost their production and productivity,” Mrs Kelly-Bennett says.
Under RYEEP, beneficiaries receive training in agriculture best practices and business management, as also coaching, as well as start-up grants which may be used to purchase inputs such as small tools/equipment and, in some instances, to recruit labourers to start agriculture-based engagements.
Two phases of the programme have been completed, with a number of the participants going on to create sustainable agribusinesses.
Mrs Kelly-Bennett informs that under phase two, the organisation supported 89 beneficiaries.
“So in total, between phases one and two, we have inserted 180 youth farmers in the agriculture sector. They are all involved in crop production, vegetables, some staples, yam, Irish potatoes, and sweet potatoes. They are also involved in livestock, be it poultry, goats or pigs,” she further states.
Additionally, Mrs. Kelly-Bennett says a number of the beneficiaries are involved in bee farming and have commenced harvesting and selling the honey yielded from their operations.
“In phase one, we also had some persons who did agro-processing; we have one gentleman in St Ann who is doing very well with his juices. He is selling those in supermarkets, pharmacies and shops within the St Ann area,” she informs.
Mrs. Kelly- Bennett says plans are in place for phase three, to ensure that more young farmers get the help they need to create sustainable agribusinesses.
“We have seen how youth are empowered [on] receiving training and exposure to best practices and the necessary inputs to start up or to strengthen their businesses… [and] how they can have an impact on the agriculture sector,” she states.
Mrs. Kelly- Bennett adds that: “Already we have seen from a recent study of phase two, that 65 percent [of them] are still in business after three years”, noting that this “is not the norm”.