Campbell calls for youth in agriculture pipeline

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr Dayton Campbell, says it is time for Jamaica to establish a clear and structured youth in agriculture pipeline.

“That pipeline should begin in our schools and continue through training, land access, financing, business development, and market opportunities,” said Campbell. He made the call recently during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

Campbell said every high school should have access to practical agricultural learning opportunities, whether through school gardens, greenhouses, hydroponics units, livestock projects, or agro-processing initiatives suited to the school’s environment.

“Agriculture must be experienced, not simply studied. Students should have opportunities to plant, manage, harvest, process, market, and evaluate agricultural products as part of their learning experience,” he explained.

He also called for agricultural science to be repositioned as a modern and dynamic field, noting that agriculture today is not merely about cultivation. “It encompasses technology, science, engineering, entrepreneurship, climate resilience, logistics, and food processing,” said Campbell. He told the Parliament that, “We must ensure that young people see agriculture as a sector of innovation, opportunity, and professional growth”.

The Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Eastern also wants the Government to establish a Youth in Agriculture Land Access Programme for qualified young farmers. He pointed out that many young Jamaicans have the interest and training to farm but lack access to land. As such, he said a transparent framework should be developed to connect trained young farmers with suitable public and underutilised lands through fair and structured lease arrangements.

The opposition spokesman also made the case for young farmers to have greater access to affordable financing, grants, and equipment support. He argued that “talent, commitment, and innovation should determine opportunity—not whether a young person was born with land, collateral, or inherited resources”.

And, Campbell said key institutions including the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, HEART/NSTA Trust, Jamaica 4-H Clubs, College of Agriculture, Science and Education, universities, farmers’ organisations and private sector partners should work together within a coordinated national youth agriculture development programme. He posited that greater collaboration would strengthen training pathways and reduce duplication of effort.

Additionally, he recommended that every parish should have access to a youth agriculture incubator where aspiring farmers can receive technical support, business mentoring, shared equipment, and assistance in securing markets for their products. He also wants the Ministry of Agriculture to publish an annual report detailing the number of young people who have benefited from land access, financing, training, technical support, inputs, and market opportunities.

“Information on how to participate in these programmes should be readily available through parish offices, schools, community organisations, agricultural extension officers, and digital platforms, ensuring that interested young Jamaicans can access support through a clear and transparent process.

“This is how we move youth in agriculture from aspiration to action, from isolated initiatives to a structured pathway, and from policy discussion to measurable outcomes. If we are serious about the future of Jamaican agriculture, we must be equally serious about creating opportunities for the next generation to lead it,” said Campbell.