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Home | Agriculture Minister Commends Jamaica 4-H Clubs for Championing Youth in Agriculture
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (third left), hands the first-place trophy to the 4-H Girl of the Year, Natoya Williams (third right), while Boy of the Year, Ishmael Smythe (fourth right), looks on. The two, who were crowned during the National 4-H Achievement Day Expo at the Denbigh Showground on May 12, also received a monetary prize. Sharing in the moment are (from left) Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dermon Spence; Acting Executive Director of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, Garfield Ewart; Chairman of the Board of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, Collin Virgo and Emcee, Tishauna Mullings.
KINGSTON, May 16 (JIS):
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has heaped praises on the Jamaica 4-H Clubs for the organisation’s commitment to promoting the engagement of young people in the agriculture sector.
Addressing Friday’s (May 12) National 4-H Achievement Day Expo at the Denbigh Showground in Clarendon, where the best of youth in agriculture from across Jamaica was highlighted and awarded, the Minister said that the movement continues “to empower our young people to pursue careers in agriculture and related things”
He informed that through the Ministry, the Jamaica 4-H Clubs and other agencies, there have been more than 166 scholarships and bursaries awarded to students and over 187 youth agro-enterprises have been established.
In addition, more than 1,000 acres of land have been leased to young persons and more than 90,000 training exposures to good agricultural practices have been provided for youth across the country.
The Minister noted that the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, through the annual Achievement Day, continues to “provide our youngsters with a safe, competitive space,” and commended the hundreds of students, who converged at the Denbigh Showground for this year’s event.
“I am sure that your participation in 4-H Clubs is going to lead you to a pathway [to success]. Being a participant in the 4-H Club for you, as youngsters, is putting fertiliser on your roots, so that you can grow strong and blossom,” he said.
The Minister said that the youth must be at the epicentre of all the country does, pointing to the important role they play in ensuring the success of the Ministry’s ‘Grow Smart, Eat Smart’ campaign.
He also acknowledged the extension officers and the various 4-H Clubs parish managers, who are “directly connecting with our youth, dealing with the issues” and are working to make sure that the young people see agriculture as a viable option.
At the National Achievement Day Expo, several agencies, companies, and other exhibitors showcased aspects of their operations to patrons and students from schools as far as Westmoreland in the West or St. Thomas in the East.
The event’s top honours went to Santina Thorpe and Jessie Linton, who were selected as the Champion Youth Farmers and Ishmael Smythe and Natoya Williams, who were named the 4-H Boy and Girl of the Year, respectively.
