Minister Green encourages youth involvement in agricultural sector

Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon Floyd Green, has commended organisers of the upcoming Hague Agricultural and Industrial Show for its plans to include a Youth Expo in the show, stating that it was a good move that will serve to further encourage young people to be a part of the agricultural sector. While noting the inclusion of Youth Expo, which will showcase the work of young farmers in the sector, Minister Green implored parents to stop discouraging children from being a part of the industry as their involvement could be beneficial. “We must stop discouraging children who are considered bright from being a part of agriculture. We need to change that and say to them that agriculture is a viable option. Those who do farming well will never want for anything in their entire lives, and we need to share that with our young people,” Minister Green stated. Minister Green was speaking the launch of the 65th staging of the Hague Agricultural and Industrial Show on January 22, 2020, at the Hague Showground in Trelawny. The show will be held February 25-26 and will feature exhibits from farmers, agri-processors and manufacturers in the parish. Organised by the Trelawny Association of Branch Societies under the theme ‘Agricultural Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change’, Minister Green disclosed that a company will be investing US$280 million in the development of a bamboo farm on about 2,000 acres of land in Trelawny. “A brand-new Jamaican company is coming that will help us, especially in relation to our environmentally friendly initiatives, to reduce the use of plastics and styrofoam and will help in the creation of employment,” Minister Green said. The State Minister also commended farmers for their hard work and for the ingenuity they have displayed in their farming techniques.