Jamaica Broilers young female poultry farmer participates in World Bank discussion

SHELLY-ANN DINNALL, one of the island’s youngest female poultry farmers and champion farmer of the Jamaica Broilers Group, was specially selected by the World Bank to participate in a live panel discussion held on October 11 in Washington, DC, about the future of agriculture.

Titled ‘Future Harvest: Who Will Grow Tomorrow’s Food?’, the panel discussion was live-streamed globally, and integrated questions from online viewers. Dinnall was the only representative from the Caribbean.

The one-hour discussion was moderated by international journalist Femi Oke, and gave voice to young farmers who are bringing their commitment and business skills to agriculture.

Dinnall was one of four speakers who shared their challenges and breakthroughs: using solar power to lower the costs of poultry farming in Jamaica; growing fresh greens for a small café in Kampala, Uganda; making farming viable for young women in remote areas of Western Australia; and practising large-scale agroecology in the state of Sao Paolo, Brazil. Since then, the young Jamaican farmer has been included in the World Bank Group’s promotional video highlighting the Bank’s important meetings held during 2017.

In 2015, the Jamaica Broilers Group and the World Bank team of Gayle Young and Peter Vincent Von Elling visited Dinnall’s farm and produced a YouTube video entitled ‘Solar Power in Jamaica’. It was subsequently submitted to lead communications officer at the World Bank, Flore Martinat De Preneuf, who invited Dinnall to participate in the panel discussion.

“Shelly-Ann was the obvious choice from Jamaica, because she has an enviable track record of achievement as a young female poultry farmer since she became involved in her family business 11 years ago. Since taking over the farm she has increased the number of tunnel-ventilated houses on her farm from two to six, and has captured internal BDC contract farmer and champion trophies from the annual Denbigh agricultural show for being among the island’s best,” said Pamella Russell, general manager, live production, Best Dressed Chicken (BDC) division of Jamaica Broilers Group.

Dinnall started with two tunnel houses contracted to Jamaica Broilers and was able, over the years, to increase the number to six tunnel houses. She invested in solar panels, which reduced the electricity bill by 55 per cent. Her vision is to expand even further and have a diverse farm with poultry being the mainstay, and invest in more solar panels to further reduce production costs.

“Farming as a career is in jeopardy, and statistics show there will be food shortages by 2050 if the issue of the lack of interest in farming by young people is not addressed. I am very excited to be recognised by an international organisation such as the World Bank for being an inspiration. I was very nervous during the panel discussion, as it was my first time speaking to an audience which included policymakers and World Bank clients. So I am grateful that my presentation was well received and that I received a lot of congratulations when the event was over,” she said.