KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Youth in Agriculture (YIA) village, to be set up at this year’s Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show, will focus on entrepreneurship among young farmers.

The village, themed ‘My Dream: Agripreneurship’, is an added feature at this year’s show, which will be held on the Denbigh Showgrounds in May Pen, Clarendon, from July 30 to August 1.

An initiative of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, the Youth in Agriculture Programme (YAP) is being spearheaded by the Jamaica 4-H Clubs to increase young people’s involvement in agriculture.

According to executive director of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, Dr Ronald Blake, the entrepreneurship focus came out of the 4-H Clubs’ observation of the high level of unemployment among youth in the country.

He noted that there will be competitions to reinforce the theme, with persons between 17 and 25 years of age from high schools, tertiary institutions and the community taking part.  

Blake said in addition to visits to the booths, the young people will compete in designing products that will enhance the agricultural sector, through technology.

The competitions include creating a mobile app, business plan/model, jingles, budding and grafting, cattle judging, a social media agri-promotion, and an agri-processing/nutraceutical contest.

“These competitions will stimulate the youngsters’ minds, encourage them to create businesses from their yields, which is very important to the transformation of the agricultural industry in Jamaica,” Dr. Blake explained.

He said that in addition to the business opportunities, the village will provide information that will encourage youth to pursue vocational studies in agriculture.

“We are not only looking forward to the youth who will compete in the events, but also those young persons who will visit the exhibits to get information which will help them to make critical career choices,”  Dr. Blake said.

He pointed out that the successful competitors will have the opportunity to win scholarships, such as studying for a bachelor’s degree at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE).

Blake added that the Ebony Park HEART Academy in Clarendon will award two scholarships, Northern Caribbean University (NCU) one, and Knox Community College will provide a scholarship for an associate degree.

The village will open tomorrow and will remain for the duration of the Denbigh Agricultural Show, which closes on August 1.

Exhibitors include CASE, Ebony Park HEART Academy, NCU, Knox Community College, Church Teachers’ College, National Youth Service and the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.