Sowing skills reaping futures: empowering rural youth

Hurricane Beryl in July caused extensive damage in Jamaica and cost the agricultural sector $4.73 billion in losses affecting 48 852 farmers. The project aims to equip rural at-risk youth in Manchester Jamaica with vocational skills and certifications to enhance their livelihood and income opportunities and improve community climate resilience. The Project intends to empower 210 rural youth through skills training in trades such as crop production commercial food preparation greenhouse technology butchery and nail care. The project also aims to train youths in climate-smart farming techniques like irrigation crop rotation and mulching and intends to better equip them to support local agriculture education and food supply.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased employment and income generation within the local community as trainees find jobs or start businesses; (2) greater proficiency among trainees in basic techniques and theoretical knowledge regarding crop production; (3) increased knowledge and skills among trainees regarding climate-smart farming techniques; (4) reduced food insecurity among trainees due to the provision of meals made available with crops grown on-site; (5) greater proficiency among trainees in basic techniques and theoretical knowledge regarding nail care.