The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining is hailing what it says was the success of its partnership with dancehall star Alkaline’s New Rules Festival, touting the initiative as a landmark moment for youth engagement in agriculture.

Held in Falmouth, Trelawny from July 2-3, the New Era Agriculture Youth Workshop brought together a targeted group of young Jamaicans for a focused, high-impact experience designed to bridge inspiration and implementation within the sector.

Organised in collaboration with the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, the two-day workshop was aligned with the ministry’s broader agenda of modernising agriculture and creating viable pathways for youth participation.

According to the ministry in a news release, what distinguished the initiative was its integration of cultural capital with Alkaline and the New Rules team, demonstrating the real impact of creative industries on national development. It noted that the approach brought energy, authenticity and relevance to the ministry’s youth outreach.

Third-place winners of the pitch competition receive gas cylinders from FESCO. They are pictured with Ministerial Advisor Kenneisha Campbell (left) and 4-H Executive Director Peter Thompson (centre).

Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green described the workshop as a timely and strategic intervention. He noted that while agriculture offers real opportunity, the key is meeting young people where they are and giving them the space, tools and partnerships needed to chart a path forward. He praised the collaboration as a model for future programming and underscored the ministry’s commitment to going beyond a one-off engagement.

Participants were immersed in sessions that explored everything from export readiness and innovation to financial planning and brand development. These were led by technical officers from the Ministry and experts from the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, whose combined expertise grounded the workshop in practical opportunity. Scotiabank added a crucial dimension to the programme through a tailored financial literacy segment, designed to help participants understand income management and business growth within the agri-space.

According to the release, a standout moment came from Rickardo Shuzzr, publicist for Alkaline and communications manager for New Rules, who delivered a presentation on marketing and entertainment in agriculture. He was instrumental in establishing the synergy between culture and agriculture, demonstrating that agriculture can be rebranded and repositioned without losing its substance. His session challenged participants to think about how storytelling, visibility and identity can transform the sector’s appeal.

Representatives from Scotiabank Falmouth deliver a financial literacy session tailored to agri-entrepreneurs, equipping youth with tools to manage and grow their income.

Participants of the New Era Agriculture Youth Workshop along with the teams from the Jamaica 4-H Clubs and the Ministry of Agriculture gather in Trelawny after two days of immersive sessions in innovation, culture and entrepreneurship.

The workshop concluded with a high-stakes pitch competition, where participants proposed actionable solutions to real-world agricultural challenges. The top team received seed funding from the ministry, alongside a cash contribution from Shuzzr LLC.

“This workshop marks only the beginning,” said Green. “The ministry will continue working directly with this group of young people, taking them into the field, offering structured mentorship and ensuring that the support does not end when the event does. For us, this is how lasting transformation is built, in this new era of agriculture, through meaningful partnerships and long-term investment in people.”