The Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (RYEEP) is an entrepreneurial training programme organised by the Jamaica 4-H Clubs in partnership with the HEART Trust/NTSA. It is designed to support  510 youth participants over a four year period, (2016-2021), through training in the areas of life skills, business development and management as well as best practices in agriculture.

 How does RYEEP support Youth Agri-preneurs?

Youth participants will be exposed to life skills, entrepreneurship and the necessary tools to assess and pursue business opportunities in the agriculture sector.

Youth participants will receive:

• Advance training in business development and management

• Agricultural best practises for targeted production areas and training in basic computing. This will result in the development of business plans and management kits for their respective businesses.

• Start-up grant of J$100,000.00. This is to be used to purchase inputs, small tools/ equipment and in some instance, labour, to start agricultural based businesses. These enterprises may be individually or collectively operated. No cash will be distributed directly to beneficiaries.

• • Up to six months business coaching. This will be aimed at guiding youth Agri-preneurs in establishing, nurturing and growing their agri-businesses through innovation, adopting strategies that may lead to achieving financial sustainability and market access. At this embryonic stage, the youths will be guided through the process of business implementation, start-up phases and the monitoring of the enterprise as it progresses throughout the coaching period. This is to ensure full integration, use and update of business planning and management models.

Beneficiaries may consider enterprises from amongst the following:

• Apiculture: Honey production and its by-products

• Value added processing: agro-processing in cottage-based operations, such as confectionaries, jams, jellies and juices

• Poultry: Broiler operation

• Crop Production: Vegetables and Nursery/Seed Banks (Hubs)

• Services: Business Support Services such as marketing, labeling and packaging.