Youth in agriculture policy white paper being finalised for tabling in Parliament

Jamaica's Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green, announced that a White Paper on the National Youth in Agriculture Policy is nearing completion and will be presented to Parliament within the next two months. This policy framework aims to outline the government's strategic plans for engaging young people in the agricultural sector.

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We have already tabled the Green Paper in Parliament, and we expect that, in another two months, we will return with the White Paper, so that every young person can look and see what are the plans that this Government has for youth in agriculture.

Green highlighted several initiatives designed to bolster support for young farmers. The Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (RYEEP), which currently trains 100 young farmers, is set to double its capacity due to high demand. The ministry is also collaborating with the Development Bank of Jamaica to create a specialized financing facility. This facility will provide young farmers with easier access to capital for starting or expanding their agricultural businesses, complemented by training from the Agro-Investment Corporation, with the government acting as a loan guarantor.

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I know in the past, we’ve had 300… 400, sometimes even 500 applications. I’m happy that we do 100 but it means there are 300 that were interested that we weren’t able to serve.

Addressing the persistent challenge of land access for farmers, particularly young individuals working on family land without formal titles, Minister Green revealed a partnership with Minister Robert Montague. This collaboration will introduce an agricultural land-titling program with a specific allocation for young farmers. The initiative aims to secure land tenure, thereby improving access to financing and fostering generational wealth.

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I’ve already started discussions with Minister [of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr] Dana Morris Dixon, and I think it is safe to say that, in the short term… like this year… we can double the RYEEP programme.

These measures reflect the government's commitment to revitalizing the agricultural sector by empowering its youth. By tackling issues of training, financing, and land access, Jamaica seeks to ensure a sustainable future for its young farmers and enhance the nation's agricultural productivity.

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We believe that will help us [to address the financial and other] issues and also ensure generational wealth.