Youth are an integral component of the region’s productive workforce and resources for development and with the average age of farmers over fifty five (55) years, there is great concern by policy makers and stakeholders in the English-speaking Caribbean about the sustainability of agriculture. This has additional relevance given that poverty in the OECS, ranging from 18% to 35%, is significantly rural. 

 

The ostensible lack of interest in the agricultural sector by young people is often lamented by the political leadership in the region. Added to a growing concern about food security in light of a trend of declining agricultural performance as well as our high food import bill, the future shape and scope of agriculture in the region, is very much open to debate. The CARICOM Community Agricultural Policy (CCAP) and the Jagdeo Initiative both seek to give direction to the region’s agricultural reform efforts.

 

This current state of affairs has given rise to the recently completed study Best Practices for Youth in Agriculture: The Barbados, Grenada & Saint Lucia Experience commissioned by CARUTA, financed mainly by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and UNDP.  This study builds on previous initiatives undertaken by the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Agricultural Forum for Youth (CARY); and seeks to “unpackage” the causes and symptoms related to the “low level” of youth participation in agriculture and rural development as well as suggest strategies for the reversal of this situation. This is timely as there is a growing urgency on the part of governments and stakeholder agencies to develop suitable policies, strategies and activities to attract young people to agriculture.

 

 

Of note, this report identifies a number of reasons for the inability of Caribbean youth to actively participate in agriculture. Caribbean youth exhibit a negative mindset towards agriculture which has been attached to this sector since slavery. This study however suggests that educational campaigns and career days can be used to reverse this negative perception.  

 

The report also highlights the limited link between agricultural strategies, food and nutrition security. Young people operate in an information age and would require reliable data upon which to base decisions about investment in agricultural production. Additionally, youth are further disinterested in this sector due to the limited promotion of the individual advancement agenda for agriculture. 

 

Lack of access to land and capital is another reason, identified in this report for the small number of youth participation in agriculture. Although this is probably the easiest strategy to implement, the report suggests that there are inherent dangers surrounding this issue based on the emotionalism surrounding these topics in the Caribbean. 

 

Finally, the value-added barrier must be broken. The study indicates that new approaches must look at agro-processing and agri-business and it must target non-traditional markets in a systematic and sustained manner. An important potential target market could be school children and their parents who can be persuaded to switch from foreign “junk food” to healthier local snacks that are just as conveniently packaged and priced.

 

For agricultural production to be sustainable, youth participation must be significantly enhanced with CARUTA and UNDP continually providing support to youth development. CARUTA will contribute to the implementation of a workshop on Youth and Agriculture organised by CAFAN which will take place in Grenada from 16 to 20 November.  

 

To learn more about these issues you may contact Mario.porchetta@undp.org