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Rising in the East
SEED Finalist
Year of participation:2005
Region:Latin America & Caribbean (GRULAC)
Subject:Biodiversity / Natural resource management|Education
A training programme for unemployed rural youth that teaches techniques of sustainable organic farming and promotes small enterprise development. It could be replicated throughout Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
Project description
In the last thirty years, rural communities across Jamaica have been in steady decline. High unemployment, increasing rural to urban migration, environmental degradation and harmful agricultural practices feature among the most serious challenges confronting communities. This project aims to address these issues by promoting sustainable development and facilitating economic growth through skills-training and entrepreneurship that could be replicated throughout Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
The training programme teaches unemployed rural youth techniques of sustainable organic farming and promotes small enterprise development utilising an integrated set of technical and commercial support services. The project involves a wide range of local, national and international NGOs, businesses, schools and environmental education organisations, as well as local and national public authorities.
Rising in the East aims to empower youth through the promotion of holistic agriculture, while capitalising on the region’s cultural heritage and eco-tourism opportunities. This project will challenge the negative perceptions held by many young people about farming. By emphasising entrepreneurship, and demonstrating successful business management in agriculture, participants will develop the capacity to implement the skills they are taught, and thereby improve their incomes and living standards. This 5-year project encourages a whole-system approach to organic farming and conservation. It has two phases:
Phase 1: A three-month integrated training course to introduce the principles and basic techniques of organic farming and conservation. A variety of approaches will be utilised including seminars, multimedia facilities and field-trips, with an emphasis on practical demonstration and application.
Phase 2: A three-month on-site supervised apprenticeship on organic farms where participants will implement the principles and techniques learned in Phase 1.
Growth plans description
n/a
Project partners
• Jamaica Organic Agriculture Movement (NGO)
• Sommerfugl Farm (Farmer)
• Foods & Flora Co. Ltd. (Business)
• Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (International Development Agency)
• Forestry Department, Ministry of Agriculture (Government)
• Cascade Junior High & Richmond Technical High School
• Further partners (NGO, college, think-tank)
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