Gov’t Supporting Youth in Agriculture

Thirty per cent of the $300 million allocated for the Agricultural Productivity Incentive Programme is to be made available to facilitate youth involvement in agriculture.

Making the disclosure, Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, said providing financial support for young people will “further heighten their interest, (which) will redound to the benefit of the entire (agricultural) sector.”

“These young people will bring the appropriate technology to bear on the development of agriculture… In working with the young people, we will grow from strength to strength,” he said.

Mr. Samuda was addressing the Jamaica 4-H Clubs Youth in Agriculture Day at the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in May Pen, Clarendon, on August 5.

He noted that the support provided to the young people will enable them to “contribute to their families, contribute to their communities and will be able to develop agriculture”.

The Agricultural Productivity Incentive Programme is designed to provide financial assistance to the agricultural sector, supplying farmers with small tools and fertiliser.

Meanwhile, Mr. Samuda hailed President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) and Chairman of the Denbigh Planning Committee, Norman Grant, for “the tremendous amount of work done to improve the show.”

Mr. Samuda noted that “there was great improvement…even (from) years before” and he is “looking forward to even greater improvements in the future.”

The premier agricultural show in the English-speaking Caribbean, Denbigh is being held between August 5 and 7 under the theme: ‘Grow What We Eat…Eat What we Grow’.