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Young Farmers Programme | Memo of Agreement | Credit Scheme | Agricultural Heritage | BONSAI Demonstration Project | YFP Document | YFP Commentary

DOMINICA'S YOUNG FARMERS PROGRAMME

Royette Greenaway
Information Officer
Government Information Service

    April 10, 2006 - Agriculture has been and will remain an important sector in the economy of Dominica. The Dominica Labour Party (now in government) in its 2005 manifesto promised to give agriculture it maximum support as a means of providing employment, ensuring food security, and earning vital foreign exchange for Dominica.
    The percentage of individuals working in the Agricultural sector declined from 30.8% in 1991 to 21% in 2001.With the decline in Dominica's farming population (the average age of the farmer is 57 years), a young and vibrant group is emerging. The young people in Dominica are expressing their desires to engage themselves in agriculture. The 2002 National Census shows a population of 71 thousand, of that figure, 35% is under 30 years of which only 4.17% is engaged in agriculture.
    This downward trend is due to a number of reasons. Two of the most common reasons sited for this trend are the poor access to financial resources and land availability to young people. This creates a serious threat to our agricultural sector and our national food security. Most agricultural development initiatives (funds/ plans / programmes) are void of incentives for young people and many interested young agriculturalists feel alienated.
    To reverse these tend the Government of Dominica, in May 2005, through the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & the Environment, under its Agricultural Diversification Programme, implemented the Young Farmers Programme, fulfilling one of its commitment in its Labour Party 2005 manifesto, to provide direct support for the youth entrepreneurship.

    The Young Farmers programme strategic objectives are:

  1. To develop entrepreneurial skills in young persons through technical and business training to enable them to take advantage business opportunities in the agricultural sector.
  2. To provide knowledge and skills in key areas of agricultural production including aquaculture, small ruminant production, organic crop production, vegetable production under greenhouses, wild-life farming and souvenir production from local forest products.
  3. To conduct a series of studies or reviews that will assist in determining the economic feasibility and/or economies of scale of agricultural (and related areas) enterprises that will be supported through the programme.
(See more in the Young Farmers Programme document)

    Initially, a total budget of over three hundred and sixty thousand EC dollars ($350.00)has been allocated for the project. Government contributed these funds from the EU STABEX 96/97, Agricultural Diversification Programme. An additional contribution of EC$54,000.00 from EU /SFA 1999 will be provided to implement a training programme.
    To administrate the funds effectively, a special financing facility has been set up -- An Agricultural Credit Scheme - ACS. This is in collaboration with the National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD). Further contributions are required to sustain the fund.
ACS Strategic Initiatives
    Through the ACS initiative the YFP aims to enhance youth participation in agricultural development activities and will seek to:

  • Improve the availability of and access to credit for youth farm enterprises that will reduce the problems associated with the access of young farmers to credit;
  • Provide credit for the expansion of crops production and marketing based on contractual arrangements with licensed exporters and/or market outlets where possible;
  • Provide inputs credit on a timely basis to young farmers;
  • Enhance the use of farm management plans for sourcing credit, monitoring production, managing cash flow, and reducing with the aim of eliminating credit access bottlenecks;
  • Develop and expand ACS to attract additional technical and financial resources to sustain the fund. (see the ACS document)
    On September 14, 2005, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & the Environment, Young Farmers Programme and the National Development Foundation of Dominica - NDFD, establishing the Agricultural Credit Scheme - ACS.
    The NDFD has agreed to execute the resources of the EC$150,000.00 earmarked for the Young Farmers Programme (See Memorandum of Agreement)

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAMME
    In order to access funds under the scheme applicants must

  1. Be between the ages of 16 - -35 years
  2. Be actively involved in agricultural production, agribusiness, agro- processing or agricultural marketing
  3. Own, be in possession of or have available suitable and accessible agricultural land. ( In cases where applicants have leases, such leases must not be for a term less the enterprise cycle)
  4. Have a written project proposal describing the product, marketing and production method (pre- identified market outlets are advantageous)
  5. Posses specialized training, youth skills training and leadership training
  6. Willing to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and the Environment
  7. Be certified as a bona fide producer by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and the Environment extension officers.( A letter of recommendation by the agricultural, fisheries and forestry officers will be required
  8. A member or intend to be a member of the National Association of Youth in Agriculture (NAYA)
  9. Have the ability to work with farmers, farmers group, youth organizations ,NGO's and community- based organizations
  10. Show enthusiasm for agriculture work is willing to learn and has an optimistic attitude. Is self- discipline, has demonstrated initiative and self-confidence with a basic awareness of individual strengths and weaknesses.
YOUNG FARMERS PROGRAMME STATUS
    Since its establishment, the Young Farmers programme has attracted over one hundred and fifty f (150) young persons. They are involve in enterprises ranging from livestock production, greenhouse, vegetable production, poultry and egg production, herbal remedies, commercial wildlife farming, goat rearing, guinea pigs and rabbit rearing, pork production, banana production and ripening, flowers and sea moss.
    These young farmers were interviewed or consulted at seven regional forums across Dominica. Community based meeting were also organized by extension staff, village councils or groups of young farmers themselves.
    As a result of these forums, programmes and direct support services were provided in areas of training, project preparation guidance, legal instruments (contracts, leases) preparation and motivation.
    As a direct response to enhancing the quality of young farmers today, the Youth Entrepreneurship through Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Programme was initiated at the Archibald Training and Research Center ATREC at Springfield.
    This programme is a coordinated effort of the Dominica Youth Environment Service Corps (YES CORPS), the Dominica Youth Environment Organization (DYEO) and the Young Farmers Programme (YFP).
    Eleven young farmers of which six (6) are women are participating in this training, which started in February 2006.
    Further collaborative training was done from November 2005 to January 2006, when the Dominica Youth Business Trust held the second Entrepreneurship Development Training Programme. Five agricultural entrepreneurs selected through the Young Farmers Programme graduated, with one receiving a top five award for business plan development.
    The role and contribution of the National Association of Youth in Agriculture Inc. - NAYA in the implementation of the Young Farmers Programme is commendable. As a partner, NAYA provides a base for reviewing g and receiving feedback from the youth and seeks to strength itself to sustain the gains made under the Young Farmers Programme.
    Manager of the Young Farmers Programme., Reginald Oliver Severin, hopes that NAYA will represent the Ministry of Agriculture in administering the ACS to ensure that the instrument continues to serve the purpose of youth access to agricultural credit in Dominica.
    With the continued collaboration of youth programmes sponsored by the government, we experience renewed efforts in increasing youth participation in agriculture.
    The Government of Dominica embraces the youth. It believes in the youth and in harnessing their creative energies towards providing them a platform for growth, recognizing that the youth are not only leaders of tomorrow, but also very importantly the leaders of today.

Go to Are You Interested In Agriculture?.

DISCLAIMER - The information and opinions contained on this page are provided by the Government Information Services (GIS) of the Commonwealth of Dominica and are not the responsibility of its host, the Dominica Academy of Arts and Sciences (DAAS).

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