Government is working with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to explore innovative solutions to help with youth unemployment.

This was one of the areas discussed during a recent courtesy call to Minister of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, by Assistant Director General of the FAO, Manuel Barange, at the Ministry’s headquarters, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael.

Mr. Griffith noted that the collaboration between the Ministry and the FAO on another project had made significant progress over the last two years.

“The Get Hired Initiative attracted young individuals eager to delve into rabbit rearing and animal husbandry. Following intensive workshops, 20 participants embarked on a rabbit rearing programme, further enhancing their skills through a workshop conducted by the FAO,” he said.

Addressing the issue of youth unemployment, Minister Griffith noted that the Ministry launched Project Dawn, an initiative targeting unemployed young people, particularly in the agriculture sector.

“Twenty-two acres of farming land was prepared in St. Andrew for agricultural purposes and the promotion of sheep production is critical. Additionally, exploration into value-added industries like tanning showcases the programme’s innovative approach to creating employment opportunities with support from international organisations, such as FAO. We are seeking to build on existing successes and implement best practices to drive meaningful change through targeted training programmes and technical assistance, to not only alleviate youth unemployment but also foster a new generation of agricultural entrepreneurs,” he stated.

Mr. Barange, in highlighting the global food security challenges and the efforts under way to address them, emphasised the critical role of youth in agriculture. He said: “We have a big issue with food security around the world, 750 million people are undernourished every day, and we have to find ways to feed them. Innovative projects such as the transformation of 3,000 tonnes of fish waste into valuable agricultural input in Barbados is a testament to the power of circular economy principles in improving food systems.

“If you can recycle that into the principles of circular economy, you actually improve the situation, highlighting the success of such initiatives in providing more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices.”

The Assistant Director General also touched on the significant growth of aquaculture, particularly as an avenue to attract youth to agriculture.  “Aquaculture isn’t the only food production system, but it’s growing really fast around the world… and it is one of the agricultural systems that attracts the youth. 

“This approach not only addresses the immediate challenges of food security but also fosters a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural sector for future generations,” Mr. Barange stated. (PR/GIS)