The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Transformation have joined forces to strengthen the participation of young people and women in St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ agricultural sector.
The collaboration was highlighted during a Youth and Gender Inclusion Working Session held on June 5 at the Ministry of Agriculture in Kingstown, where young farmers, agribusiness operators, agricultural traders and development stakeholders gathered to discuss challenges and opportunities within the sector.
The initiative forms part of FAO’s broader efforts to promote youth and gender-responsive approaches that create greater opportunities for young women and men to participate, lead and succeed throughout agrifood value chains.
Twenty-three stakeholders participated in the session, including representatives from the Gender Affairs Division, civil society organizations and technical officers from the Ministry of Agriculture. Discussions focused on identifying barriers to participation while exploring practical solutions to improve access to resources and opportunities.
FAO Caribbean Gender Focal Point and Value Chain Technical Lead Juan Cheaz emphasized the importance of ensuring that young people and women play a central role in the future of agriculture.
“Young people are key drivers of innovation and transformation in agrifood systems,” Cheaz said, noting that young women and men often face additional obstacles in accessing training, employment and leadership opportunities.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Colville King highlighted the urgent need to attract more young people to the sector, revealing that only about 10 percent of registered farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are youth.
He stressed that the future sustainability of agriculture depends on developing a new generation of farmers, processors, marketers, innovators and entrepreneurs capable of supporting national food security and economic growth.
Participants identified several challenges limiting youth participation in agriculture, including restricted access to financing, land, markets, transportation, training opportunities and decision-making spaces.
Young farmer Dianza Selby shared her experience of losing more than 600 pounds of cucumbers because she was unable to secure sufficient markets for her produce despite supplying supermarkets, schools, charities and community members.
Her experience sparked discussions on the importance of value-added production, with participants highlighting opportunities in agro-processing, branding and product diversification through the production of items such as pickles, hot sauces and other processed goods.
Young agricultural trader Glenroy Thomas called for greater youth involvement in agricultural policymaking and decision-making processes.
“If decisions are made about young people, then young people should be part of those conversations from the beginning,” Thomas said.
The session concluded with calls for stronger mentorship programmes, expanded technical assistance, improved access to resources and greater support for women and young people entering the agricultural sector.
FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the experiences and perspectives of young women and men continue to shape future programmes and initiatives designed to strengthen agriculture and rural development in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.