Youth involvement in agriculture is steadily gaining ground across the island, as more young Jamaicans turn to farming not just as a livelihood, but as a means of self-sufficiency and contributing to national development.
According to Demerce Guscott, Marketing and Centre Coordination Officer at the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, there is a notable increase in interest among young people in both rural and urban areas.
“Based on my travels across the country—from Westmoreland straight across to St. Thomas—more youths are realising that agriculture is important. They’re gravitating toward backyard gardening and learning to feed themselves,” he said.
The Jamaica 4-H Clubs, the official youth arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining, has been a driving force behind this movement. Through outreach programmes, practical training, and their YouTube tutorial, they are helping to redefine what the average Jamaican farmer looks like.
“Gone are the days when you would picture a 75-year-old like ‘Mass Charles’ down the road. Today, our farmers are in their 30s and 40s. We’re actively reducing the average age of farmers in Jamaica,” Guscott explained.
One of the 4-H Clubs’ key goals is to engage youths aged 18 to 35, providing training, agricultural inputs, and consistent follow-up. The organisation even offers incentives through programmes like the “Reef Starter” and “Reef Builder”, where high-performing young farmers can receive additional support.
Education is also central to the movement. Schools across all 14 parishes are embracing agriculture, integrating it into their curriculum. At Bright Star Academy in Westmoreland, each student was given a sweet pepper and cucumber plant to tend on school grounds.
“They were so eager at harvest time—the produce went straight to the canteen,” Guscott informed.
This hands-on involvement is also helping to reduce children’s dependence on tablets and electronic devices.
“I try to get my own child off the tablet, too,” Guscott shared. “She’s now raising a few goats and showing interest. The tablet isn’t bad—it’s how they’re using it. We encourage them to research and learn more through platforms like YouTube with all the major areas of agriculture involved,” he noted.
Even in the corporate area, where land space is limited, youth farming is thriving through vertical farming and container gardening.
“You can grow food on a rooftop or in small spaces beside your house,” said Guscott as he shared that cucumbers and lettuce can be planted. “You don’t need acres of land anymore; it’s minimising, but you still can produce,” he pointed out.
With initiatives like these, the future of farming in Jamaica looks promising—greener, younger, and more sustainable.