Guyana to benefit from CARICOM project empowering women, youth in agriculture

Shaun Baugh

Guyana is among 10 CARICOM states set to benefit from a new regional programme aimed at strengthening food security and boosting the role of women and youth in agriculture, as climate pressures intensify across the Caribbean.

According to a release, the CARICOM Secretariat, backed by the Government of New Zealand, has launched the “CARICOM Boost: Women and Youth in Agriculture Project,” a capacity-building initiative tied to the region’s target of cutting its food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

Shaun Baugh, Programme Manager for Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, said the project aims to widen economic opportunities for young people and women. “The overarching goal is to improve livelihoods and expand employment opportunities. So, we will engage 188 youth and women from the region by teaching them agricultural best practices and management. Beneficiaries will participate in a series of capacity-building activities aimed at equipping them with skills in production and post-harvest management.”

The programme will be rolled out in Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname. Participants will receive targeted support through training, equipment and infrastructure investments.

Planned outputs include 47 shade houses for controlled-environment farming, 15 solar-powered cold storage units and distribution of post-harvest storage crates to improve produce handling.

The initiative’s training component is being delivered in partnership with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Baugh said the Secretariat remains committed to advancing regional food and nutrition security through targeted interventions. “The CARICOM Secretariat remains steadfast in its mission to foster inclusive growth and food and nutrition security through targeted interventions that empower the next generation of agricultural leaders,” he said.