SOCIAL SECTOR INVESTMENT PROGRAMME
39
SUSTAINING GROWTH, SECURING PROSPERITY
CHAPTER 3: NATIONAL SOCIAL SITUATION
TheAgricultureNowURPRetrainingProgramme
is geared at developing a more skilled and dis-
ciplined agricultural labour force in response to
the predominant issue of an inadequate labour
supply in the sector. These efforts are also one
of the many measures taken by the Government
to enable increased food production and food
security in the nation. The additional benefit of
the programme is that the wages have been tai-
lored to offer a more sustainable livelihood for
the participants.
Since the programme’s inception there have
been a total number of 361 trainees who have
completed the programme. At this graduation
ceremony 235 URP trainees graduated; a
noteworthy increase from the first graduation
ceremony where there were 126 graduates.
The trainees completed a twelve week course,
which included topics such as crop production,
land preparation, seedling production and
progragation,
fertilizer
application,
pest
disease and weed management, chemical
use, safety precautions, good agricultural
practices and home gardening. Some trainees
who expressed interest would have also been
trained by the Cocoa andCoffee Industry Board
(CCIB) in the basic skills for cocoa production.
5. Y
OUTH
P
ARTICIPATION
IN
THE
A
GRICULTURE
S
ECTOR
The GoRTT recognises the need to increase the
interest level andencouragegreaterparticipation
amongst the youth in the agriculture sector.
In an effort to position the sector as a viable
career option, the following initiatives have been
undertaken:
The Youth Apprenticeship Programme in
Agriculture (YAPA) aims to encourage youths
between the ages of 17 to 25, to view agriculture
as a viable and sustainable economic endeavour.
Launched in 2003, the programme gives the
youth an opportunity to be involved in farming.
Overall objectives include:
1. To improve efficiency and productivity of the
agricultural sector;
2. To achieve and sustain the quality of life
and contribute to the socio-economic
development of rural communities.
The Programme was conducted in two phases.
In phase one, 615 trainees graduated from
the programme. For phase two, for the period
September 2012 to March 2013, 41 persons
enrolled in the programme. Training was offered
in areas such as: crop agronomy, livestock
husbandry,
computer
literacy,
seedling
production and vegetable production. This
activity resulted in achievements in the areas
of self-esteem, resulting from self-sufficiency, a
better understanding of financial management
and the maintenance of agricultural systems.
Other initiatives include the Rancho Quemado
Estates Limited’s Agro-Eco Tourism Park, which
targets primary schools; and the internship
Agriculture
Professional
Development
Programme (APDP) for University graduates, in
which a total of 50Agriculture andAgri-business
graduates were recruited. To date 30 interns
have completed the induction, production and
processing internship phases, as well as several
professional and technical development training
modules and sessions.
6. L
EGISLATION
AND
S
UB
-S
ECTORS
To further address the issue of food security
and creating enabling environments, the MFP
have also reviewed legislation and developed
strategic sub-sectors. The Ministry continued
working towards updating policy and fisheries
management legislations, providing fish stocks
and the importation of high quality feed for the
Tilapia industry. Livestock development also
witnessed increased attention from the MFP. To
this end 300-400 acres of land were allocated
for the creation of forage farms. Research,
development and distribution of genetic
material were also undertaken. These initiatives
