Coconut Industry Board Targeting Youth for Knowledge Transfer

With the average age of the Jamaican coconut farmer being 65 years, the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) says it is on a mission to get more young people involved in the sector.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaun Cameron, who spoke to JIS News following a recent town hall in St. Mary, said the board wants to revitalise the tradition of partnering and working with schools to bridge the generational knowledge gap.

“Right now, we’re working with Dinthill High School (and) we have targeted other high schools,” he said.

Mr. Cameron said that four schools will be targeted this year “and then we will do another four because we want to get coconut on the tongues of our high school students and let them understand that farming is a business.”

He said that the institutions will be provided with planting material and technical expertise, as well as assistance with setting up coconut orchards.

“So, the students are learning and gaining knowledge of how to plant a seedling, how to better manage the crops, and how to ensure proper nutrition and fertilisation management. They will also learn how to properly utilise the soil to get good returns and how to use technology in terms of testing the soil to make sure that the PH is within a neutral (range), so they don’t have a high acidic soil,” Mr. Cameron explained.

“This sort of knowledge that has not been traditionally transferred, we’re trying to get that done now,” he added.

The series of island-wide town halls are part of activities by the CIB to mark its 80th anniversary.

The meetings featured informative presentations from the CIB research team, as well as other sessions led by various stakeholders such as the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

As part of the celebrations, outstanding farmers and pickers have been awarded by the CIB for their contribution to the industry.