Challenges and Opportunities of Youth Entrepreneurs in Agriculture:

1. Challenges and Opportunities of Youth Entrepreneurs in Agriculture: Keeley Holder Nov 14th, 2012 A Caribbean Perspective

2. Caribbean Opportunities • Successful sectors saturated with talent • Youth unemployment biggest developmental challenge • Agriculture NOT saturated • Youth ardent about creating dynamic solutions to complex problems • There’s a hidden complexity in agriculture

3. Caribbean Opportunities • Food, Oil, Economic, Environmental, Health Crises • Agriculture thrives in a recession • Agriculture is knowledge intensive • > Youth pursuing knowledge at UWI • Greater access to information through ICTs • Use of ICTs appeal to Youth

4. Caribbean Opportunities • Old Agriculture: • Strong Reminder of Poverty & Colonialism that is “Best Forgotten/Ignored” • Smart Agriculture: • Exciting, Fulfilling, Financially Rewarding & Socially Acceptable

5. Caribbean Reality: The Fruit & Vegetable Industry • Declining & de-emphasised last 30 year • Short term gains, long term pains • Overall profitability being eroded • Farmer only knowledge worker

6. Caribbean Reality: The Fruit & Vegetable Industry • Not business-driven • Few opportunities for private professionals & researchers • Little opportunity to: • OBSERVEglobally competitive farms/institutions • Not competitive recruiting/keeping talent

7. Caribbean Reality: Support Systems WEAK INTERACTIONS

8. Empowering Youth: The Key Things To Be Done Success Breeds Success • Select a “small” group youth w/ right talents • Equip them w/ needed skills for long-term success • Provide supporting framework for long-term success • Leaders MUST create “spaces”for other youth to participate

9. Empowering Youth: The Key Things To Be Done • Attract talent that have SKILLS to be excel in this reality: • 3Ds – Determination, Desire, Dedication • Self-motivated, Intensely focussed, People-centred • Passion & Empathy; Purpose & Objectivity • Lifelong Learners, Quick Learners • “Perspective Thinkers” • Can Handle Failure

10. Empowering Youth: The Key Things To Be Done • Provide talent with other SKILLS needed: • STRATEGICThinking, Problem-SOLVING, Analytical • Leadership & Team Building • Negotiating & Decision Making • Time MANAGEMENT (esp. Women) • Knowledge Management (filtering, relevance) • Global Literacy

11. Empowering Youth: The Key Things To Be Done • Supporting Framework: • Access to expertise & opportunities for collaboration • Align them w/ influential SPONSORS

12. Empowering Youth: The Key Things To Be Done • Supporting Framework: • Access to expertise & opportunities for collaboration • Align them w/ influential SPONSORS

13. Empowering Youth: The Key Things To Be Done • Supporting Framework: • Mentorship • Find people w/ knowledge (tacit/explicit) & experience and Don’t Waste Their Time • More Ears, Less Mouth • Don’t let gender/age be an obstacle • We need to learn MUCH MORE than they need to teach us

14. Empowering Youth: Changing the Status Quo • Creating spaces for other youth: • Build globally competitive models • Opportunities to work/trial (internships, apprenticeships) • Opportunities to observe (believing is seeing) • Build smart partnerships • Breaking the “short-term gains” cycle

15. Thank You