Agriculture Ministry Commends IICA for its Youth and Women Initiatives

Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Courtney Cole, has commended the Institute for International Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) Jamaica for its focus on climate-smart agriculture and the mushroom industry targeting youth and women.

Speaking at IICA’s Virtual Regional Accountability Forum with Caribbean Member States for Year 2020 held on March 26, Cole, who was representing Agriculture Minister Floyd Green, noted that with the onset of climate change the Ministry has been urging farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices to reduce the impact of climate change on the sector.

“Engaging our youth in the practice of climate-smart agriculture will therefore ensure the sustainability of the agriculture industry as well as bolster the nation’s food security while bringing a level of innovation and creativity to these initiatives, said Cole.

He also noted IICA’s efforts to develop an industry plan for the Jamaican gourmet mushroom industry in partnership with a local and Canada-based company.

The plan proposes an optimized supply chain with an investment plan developed from an assessment of the local mushroom production system and international manufacturing best practices for the industry and is said to have a potential to create opportunities for economic independence for 300 women and youth.

This, the chief technical director said, was in keeping with Ministry’s goal of providing opportunities for the involvement of more youth and women into the agricultural sector.