Youth programme highlights the importance of food security

Investment in young people seeking to get into the farming sector is a must. This was the view shared by Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Henderson Wiltshire, as he spoke during the recent opening ceremony for this year’s IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture) Barbados
Youth Farm Program.

The programme which began in 2012, seeks to train young persons from across the island’s secondary schools in the areas of crop production, livestock farming, and other areas associated with the farming industry.

While speaking to participants, Wiltshire said that given the uncertain times Barbados and other small developing states were facing in food security, investment in that sector, particularly in the youth who show interest in growing the industry, must always be supported.

“It is no secret that the world is facing an unprecedented global food crisis. There are many reasons why this has happened, including extreme weather, droughts colliding
with the impacts of the pandemic, war and the rise of inflation, and as a result more and more people in the world are facing food insecurity or striving for food security, and Barbados is not immune to this.

“This programme is extremely important in exposing the young people to the rudiments of farming… I must also add that these young persons that we see here are serious about agriculture. They are not just passing through the programme, gaining a certificate, making new friends and moving on. That fact that they are using their summer holiday, speaks volumes about the commitment.”

With 30 local students entering the initiative this year, including eight Antiguan candidates, Wiltshire stated that though students will learn many technical aspects when it comes to farming, they will also earn much needed certification which will assist them in taking their theoretical knowledge
to the next level.

“Agriculture is too important a sector to our national development to not give our young people the incentives and the desire to persevere in this field. This programme is not only focused on technical skills however, a significant part of this programme is the certification through the CMN CVQ that will further empower the young persons here to go even further in your chosen farming career.”

Past student of the Youth Farm Programme, Nathan Crookendale, also spoke during the morning’s launch, and said though his initial interest in the programme was limited to the raising of cows, he soon learned a lot more which helped in his farming venture.

“I came to the programme just liking cows, and going through the programme I would have dealt with sheep, goats, rabbits, but yet I was more focused on cows. It is a very good programme because it teaches you a wide [number] of things with the animals.

“The youth farm programme would have impacted me a lot because as I said I was just really into keeping the cows but being that I had a wide area to deal with, I would have liked sheep and rabbits, and that would have pushed me more and made me get into the agriculture deeper. I also use it as a second income for me,” he said.

(SB)