The J Wray & Nephew Foundation (JWNF) has this year expanded its “Agro-preneurship” programme, leveraging key partnerships to enhance community development and economic empowerment across Jamaica.

The programme, following a successful launch in St Elizabeth back in 2021, has, for 2024, been extended to Kingston and Clarendon, aiming to provide comprehensive support to aspiring agro-preneurs while offering financial education, skills training and essential resources.

The initiative, which focuses on establishing sustainable poultry farming ventures, has for this year’s staging received additional contributions and noteworthy partnership support from entities such as the JN Bank, HEART/NSTA Trust and Nutramix.

Nutramix has been named the official title sponsor this year.

Following the distribution of chicken starter kits to at-risk groups in St Elizabeth communities, the programme’s expansion, which got underway in the additional parishes last month, sees over 100 agro-preneurs across communities presented with packages consisting of baby chicks, broiler pellet and crumble, feeder pan along with packets of vitamins and stress mix. Additionally, the recipients were also gifted with grocery bags of essential items for their families.

The JWN Foundation has a long history of ‘transforming lives and communities for a better Jamaica’ said it has since inception in 2012 donated to schools, hospitals, and other organisations in need. Beneficiary communities under the 2024 edition of the agro-preneurship programme include: Waterhouse, Seaview Gardens, Riverton, Henley Road in the Corporate Area and Gimme-Me-Bit, Racecourse, Water Lane, Vernamfield, York Town, and Milk River in Clarendon. The expansion of the programme, which comes as a testament to the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to community development, seeks to further increase the capacity of local farmers as it ensures food security while fostering economic resilience in Jamaica.

“This initiative started a vision to empower community members through sustainable agri-business practices and what we are now witnessing is an expansion of the fruits of our labour as more families embark on the path to self-reliance and entrepreneurial success. The expansion to Kingston and Clarendon is not just a milestone for us, but a great signal to the opportunities for aspiring agro-preneurs across Jamaica,” commented CEO of JWN Foundation Tanikie McClarthy Allen.

“Over 40 farming families in Clarendon have already benefited from the programme and many more in Kingston will now have the opportunity to enhance their livelihoods. By empowering our local farmers, we are fostering economic growth, job creation, and improved standards of living as we equip persons with the necessary resources and support to establish sustainable and profitable poultry ventures,” she added.

Touting the success of the programme, Marsha Thompson, a resident and beneficiary from Gimme-Me-Bit, Clarendon, lauded its impact as life-changing.

“This initiative has impacted my life so much because this is what I have been doing for a living for over five years and this contribution from the JWN Foundation is very timely as the last time I bought some chickens, a mongoose came in and ate them all. With this opportunity I’m now able to build back as I also continue to put into my restaurant business in Vernamfield,” she said.

“The donation from the JWN Foundation will go a long way in supporting our community and our need to start a small business so that we can sell and buy more so that our business can expand. Ultimately, it’s bigger and better for us. I even have plans to build a bigger ‘chicken coob’ in my backyard,” shared Anneika Bailey, another resident of Clarendon.

This year’s programme, which seeks to equip individuals with the necessary resources and knowledge on sustainable farming practices, also teaches them how to operate a financially sound and profitable agri-business venture.

Diamond King, youth banking officer for partnerships & engagement at JN Bank, in highlighting the importance of the initiative, said that the financial empowerment of people is crucial to the country’s economic success.

“JN Bank is committed to supporting entrepreneurs across various sectors, including agriculture. We applaud the JWNF for leading this agro-preneurship initiative and are grateful for the opportunity to partner with them to educate entrepreneurs about our financial solutions.

“The information we have shared with the beneficiaries has been well received, and several participants have already expressed an interest in learning more about how we can assist them financially, so we are eager to build on this collaboration in the future,” King noted.

Ronique Rhoden, director of community engagement at HEART/NSTA Trust, in similarly highlighting the alignment between the initiative and her entity’s mission, said it opens the portal for the human development agency to offer training that will improve the social and economic well-being of community members.

“The beneficiaries are excited to be trained by the trust on how to become better micro, small and medium-sized business. Through this programme they are being given the opportunity to develop their skills and to better themselves, their families and communities,” Rhoden stated.