National Youth in Agriculture Policy to be completed next year

State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green, says the National Youth in Agriculture Policy is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020.
Addressing the annual accountability seminar and cocktail reception of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew on December 4, Mr. Green gave an assurance that “we’re going to get it done”.
The National Youth in Agriculture Policy and implementation plan will be carried out over a 10-year period at a cost of some $400 million.
The policy is expected to create an enabling environment for youth to transition and invest in agriculture and fisheries along the entire value-chain.
Meanwhile, Mr. Green noted that there is a need to strengthen the data gathering capacity across the Ministry and hopes to work with IICA in this regard.
“Agriculture now and of the future cannot be guess work…we need to do more to be able to get the resources in the field to collect the relevant data. It cannot only be supported by government resources,” he said.
“I want to see us ramp up the partnership around data collection and use the data to drive production,” he continued.
IICA’s annual accountability seminar and cocktail reception provides an opportunity for the IICA office to reflect on the progress that the office has made over the year.
During the event, IICA presented its annual Youth in Agribusiness Awards to young people who are outstanding in agricultural entrepreneurship, who employ agricultural best practices and innovation and who act as ambassadors for the agri-business sector.
First place was awarded to Kemoy McKenzie in recognition of his adherence to good agricultural practices and entrepreneurial spirit in growing and diversifying agri-business enterprise.
Kristina Budhoo and Gordon Dempster from Outland Hurders Creamery and Farmstead, placed second for their investment in and dedication to developing a unique product, which promotes the use of Jamaican ingredients.
Third-place award went to Tyrone Anderson for his investment in and management of a successful agricultural enterprise that also provides markets for surrounding farmers and the team.
A special bio-economy award was presented to Ynoquie Wedderburn in recognition of her development of natural cosmetic products from the bee-keeping enterprise and application of organic treatments for pest and diseases.
The bio-economy refer to those parts of the economy that use renewable biological resources from land and sea—such as crops, forests, fish, animals and micro-organisms—to produce food, materials and energy.
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