Young Farmers Entrepreneurship Programme (YEEP)
The Young Farmers Project aims to enter 500 youths into the agriculture sector annually. This should address the sustainability of the industry affected by an aging farmer population and the threat of food security in Jamaica. The objectives of the programme are: increased production and exports, a reduction in the importation of foreign produce and the bolstering of employment within the Sector. The targets for the programme include the establishment of at least one fully functioning farm every month.
The programme is being executed by the Agro-Investment Corporation, AgroInvest, which works under the ambit of the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries. Through the AgroInvest, interested youth will receive support in the form of:
- land,
- access to markets,
- links to credit agencies and
- infrastructure (farm roads, office space and fencing).
The applicants, however, will have to provide irrigation and the working capital (chemicals, labour) needed for operation.
Group formation and training is one of the special features of the programme. This will allow ease of service delivery, while ensuring transference of knowledge between youths and experts in the field.
The entrepreneurship programme will commence in December 2008 with 10 farmers cultivating a 50-acre plot in Clarendon.
Interested persons may contact AgroInvest for further details.