Young Farmers Urged to Access Support Through RYEEP

Young Jamaicans looking to enter the agricultural sector or grow their farms are being urged to take advantage of support being provided by the Government through the Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (RYEEP).

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, made the call while addressing the official opening of a greenhouse at Papine High School in St. Andrew on Wednesday (February 5).

RYEEP is an entrepreneurial training programme organised by the Jamaica 4-H Clubs in partnership with the HEART/NSTA Trust.

“If you are just getting involved in agriculture, we do have a programme called the RYEEP Starter, where you can apply. We will carry you through some training and we will give you a grant at the end of the training to start your agricultural enterprise,” said Minister Green.

“If you already have a farm, you can apply for the REAP Builder, where again, we carry you through about six months of training and give you a grant at the end of that training to expand your agricultural enterprise,” he added.

The greenhouse at Papine High School was established through a grant of US$25,000 from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF).

It will produce crops for the benefit of the school and nearby educational institutions while generating income.

Minister Green said that the greenhouse, which is equipped with a hydroponics system, will enable students to learn how to “approach protected agriculture”.

“They will be introduced to irrigation systems and how these systems help in food production. As such, they will develop the capacity to solve some of our agricultural challenges. I expect that the students will craft innovative solutions that the Ministry and Jamaica can use as we build out more protected agriculture,” he said.

Minister Green noted that the project aligns with the Ministry’s focus on engaging more youth in farming.

He noted that the business of farming is growing in Jamaica, with the number of registered farmers moving from 245,000 to 268,000 over the last four years.

“A lot of those farmers who are coming in now are young farmers,” the Minister pointed put.

Minister of Finance and the Public Service and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Eastern, Hon. Fayval Williams, welcomed the opening of the greenhouse project.

“With all our students here at Papine High School… learning about greenhouse technology, our agricultural sector will only be stronger for it,” she said, noting that the technology helps farmers to provide the exact amount of nutrients that plants need.

Vice Chairperson of CCRIF, Saundra Bailey, in her remarks, encouraged the students to use the greenhouse to learn as much as they can about agriculture and to immerse themselves in the digitalisation of farming.

“Pursue careers in the sector or become innovative agripreneurs,” she urged them.

The CCRIF is a risk-pooling facility that offers insurance to Caribbean Governments to help to reduce the impact of natural disasters on countries.