DENBIGH, Clarendon — Young farmers Chelisa Osbourne and Julio Gordon are both planning to expand their operations with the $4-million prize money they won as Jamaica 4-H Club’s Young Champion Farmers at the recently concluded Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show.

Osbourne, who hails from Trelawny, currently farms West Indian red peppers and dabbles in apiculture on just a quarter acre of land. She now harbours plans of venturing into strawberry production with her portion of the prize. She has already set a project in motion to build a greenhouse which will be her catalyst for getting into the export market. Meanwhile Gordon, who is from Hanover, has already started to clean up a parcel of land he is planning on acquiring. He is also finishing up repairs to fences and purchasing new feeders and other tools that will make his mixed farming a little easier.

“My journey in agriculture began at eight years old when me and my brother dug up a yam planted by my uncle, not knowing if it was ready. We also roasted cocoa that wasn’t ready either and we participated in the process of preparing land to plant corn, pepper and other cash crops,” said the 32-year-old Gordon.

He credits his uncles who are actively involved in farming for stirring his interest in the field.

“Growing up around them inspired me to plant something, watch it grow and reap it for myself. It is a good feeling because I have planted bananas, plantains, peppers and pineapples — although most of the pines were destroyed by my goats – but I don’t have any hard feelings. Instead, it encourages me to get involved in something far greater than self and I commend my support system who was there when I needed their assistance,” he said.

Getting into farming full-time was a little different for Osbourne who is a registered nurse.

“It proved a little challenging, jumping from health straight into agriculture. The naysayers were of the opinion that I am young and should be doing better things with my life but I kept believing in myself and realising that the sky is the limit. Now I am reaping success,” said the 25-year-old full-time farmer with a smile.

She believes an inclusion of agricultural best practices is what may have given her and Gordon the edge above their competitors. They work constantly to show others in their respective age groups that agriculture is not just for elderly or uneducated, she said.

For Gordon, who is concerned that praedial larceny discourages other youngsters — and people in his community in general — from investing in agriculture, the show was also a chance to raise the issue with Minister of Agriculture Pearnel Charles Jr.

Gordon, however, pointed out that he is concerned about praedial larceny which has affected farmers within his locale.

“They are scared of losing their investment. The animals that I have are very expensive. Some of them, I spent my very last to get. It would be really heart-wrenching if one day I came home and they are not there because thieves decided to take them,” he said.

According to the minister, he has already set plans in motion to address the issue.

“As minister, this is one of my number one priorities. I have said that from day one, and I have consistently said that. I have put together a highly specialised and strategic team which is not published because we are working in the way that you should when you are trying to tackle national security issues,” said Charles. “I can assure you that they are working. We have developed terms of reference, we have developed strategic plans and we are making the connections that need to be made and we are working with the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force) on the matter.”

He added members of the JCF have participated in ministry-organised seminars to ensure that they have a thorough understanding of the legal framework and how it is applied.

He said his ministry is also putting together a comprehensive strategy which includes innovations such as genome sequencing and other technology that will connect livestock to the shops that are selling meat.

“There are different methods and mechanisms that are being used but they are taking time. So in the meantime we are also going to coordinate with the farmers to help them protect their farms. We don’t want vigilante justice and we don’t want farmers to come together to kill, but we need farmers to come together to defend their investments. Jamaica is a democracy and, in our laws, we are never going to promote killing but we will always promote your right to defend your life and property,” said Charles.