Younger Jamaicans trying to enter the agricultural sector or develop their farms are being urged to benefit from assist being offered by the Authorities by means of the Rural Youth Financial Empowerment Programme (RYEEP).
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Inexperienced, made the decision whereas addressing the official opening of a greenhouse at Papine Excessive College in St. Andrew on Wednesday (February 5).
RYEEP is an entrepreneurial coaching programme organised by the Jamaica 4-H Golf equipment in partnership with the HEART/NSTA Belief.
“If you’re simply getting concerned in agriculture, we do have a programme referred to as the RYEEP Starter, the place you possibly can apply. We are going to carry you thru some coaching and we offers you a grant on the finish of the coaching to begin your agricultural enterprise,” stated Minister Inexperienced.
“If you have already got a farm, you possibly can apply for the REAP Builder, the place once more, we supply you thru about six months of coaching and offer you a grant on the finish of that coaching to increase your agricultural enterprise,” he added.
The greenhouse at Papine Excessive College was established by means of a grant of US$25,000 from the Caribbean Disaster Danger Insurance coverage Facility (CCRIF).
It would produce crops for the good thing about the varsity and close by academic establishments whereas producing earnings.
Minister Inexperienced stated that the greenhouse, which is supplied with a hydroponics system, will allow college students to discover ways to “strategy protected agriculture”.
“They are going to be launched to irrigation techniques and the way these techniques assist in meals manufacturing. As such, they are going to develop the capability to unravel a few of our agricultural challenges. I anticipate that the scholars will craft revolutionary options that the Ministry and Jamaica can use as we construct out extra protected agriculture,” he stated.
Minister Inexperienced famous that the challenge aligns with the Ministry’s give attention to participating extra youth in farming.
He famous that the enterprise of farming is rising in Jamaica, with the variety of registered farmers shifting from 245,000 to 268,000 during the last 4 years.
“Quite a lot of these farmers who’re coming in now are younger farmers,” the Minister pointed put.
Minister of Finance and the Public Service and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Japanese, Hon. Fayval Williams, welcomed the opening of the greenhouse challenge.
“With all our college students right here at Papine Excessive College… studying about greenhouse know-how, our agricultural sector will solely be stronger for it,” she stated, noting that the know-how helps farmers to supply the precise quantity of vitamins that crops want.
Vice Chairperson of CCRIF, Saundra Bailey, in her remarks, inspired the scholars to make use of the greenhouse to study as a lot as they’ll about agriculture and to immerse themselves within the digitalisation of farming.
“Pursue careers within the sector or develop into revolutionary agripreneurs,” she urged them.
The CCRIF is a risk-pooling facility that provides insurance coverage to Caribbean Governments to assist to cut back the influence of pure disasters on nations.