Agriculture to provide better employment among youth: PM Roosevelt Skerrit

Dominica: For the first time in history, Dominica hosts OECS youth in Agricultural Symposium.

During this landmark event, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit underscored the importance of increasing local food production, while noting it as a crucial factor for enhanced employment opportunities.

While addressing the youth, the prime minister stated, “We can’t rely on importing food.” He emphasized that if the government relies on importing food, it will end up creating more jobs to those countries and limit employment opportunities for Dominicans.

The minister noted that agriculture brings in foreign exchange, which is the most crucial for building infrastructure across the country, including roads, schools, healthcare, and more. In light of the high demand and scope for agriculture in the future, the prime minister stated the active participation of the youth in such efforts is the most crucial one.

The OECS commission then went on to discuss the setbacks that the agriculture sector has so far experienced in the country including a substantial decline due to several factors including environmental degradation, climate vulnerability and natural hazards.

This was also interpreted that a decline in agriculture sector has led to an aging farming population as the youth is refraining themselves from farming practices. “This new initiative has been taken to provide the youth with the knowledge of the agricultural industry,” Authorities stated.

The event was conducted by the government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Other partnering agencies include The European Union’s Regional Integration Through Growth Harmonisation and Technology (RIGHT) programme, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Dominica’s Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management, and the World University Service of Canada (Caribbean).

This event will be conducted over a span of 3 days focusing on several events including panel discussion, workshops, mentorships sessions covering a wide range of topics and interactive sessions.

The event will also provide networking possibilities, as delegates from other regions will collaborate to discuss their perspectives on some of the key issues of the agricultural symposium.

According to the Commission, panel discussions will feature industry pioneers, successful young farmers, and agricultural specialists who will give their perspectives on the most recent agricultural trends and developments.

The agriculture Symposium this year aims to bring together the region’s next generation of agricultural leaders and the youth for conversations on innovation, tools, opportunities, and the circumstances required to define agriculture’s future and develop employment opportunities for all.