BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AT the opening ceremony for a workshop on ‘Protected Agriculture’, President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Agriculture Youth Forum said that the world is changing fast and that farmers should be open to change and be ready to take on challenges.
Stuart Versailles made this declaration at the beginning of the workshop on September 6 at the University of the West Indies Conference Room.
“We should be willing and ready to embrace positive change and we must be open to take on challenges with courage and fortitude. Remember successful change makers always start with a dream but they placed their hearts and souls into making them a reality,” he said.
He said that Agricultural development within our nation faces many challenges; from the lack of investment in science and technology to transform the sector, to the ageing of the majority of participants in the industry.
His Agricultural Youth Forum has been contributing to the transformation of the agricultural system and ensures its economic, social and environmental viability and sustainability.
“We have recognized that representation of youth was a missing essential component if agriculture was to be effectively addressed. Youth are at serious risk as a result of rising underemployment and unemployment, which contribute to the conditions of illicit activities, teenage pregnancy and other societal ills,” he said.
Versailles said that the environment is another issue that not only young people should be interested in but the decision makers as well.
He said that it is important to pay close attention that resources are limited and finite, are not squandered by the current generation but secured for those to come.
“Those polluting the environment and reluctant to change their lifestyle cannot claim to have the interest of children and young people at heart because you will be most adversely affected in the future as the environment deteriorates from a variety of stresses and pollution. We encourage establishing and strengthening partnerships between governments, parties, youth, allied agencies, and academia that address and advance the cause of young people in agriculture, hence the birth of SKN Agricultural Youth Forum.”
Coordinator of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Augustine Merchant told SKNVibes that ‘Protected Agriculture’ is the process where plants grow in artificial conditions in Shade Houses.
He said that there are several Shade Houses in St. Kitts and that the workshop is being facilitated by Professor Heiner Lieth of the University of California where farmers will learn about the Shade Houses.
Remarks were also given by Pathleen Titus, Country Representative of CARDI and Gene Knight, Policy Analyst in the Ministry of Agriculture.
