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

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:
 OBSERVE globally 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
1. Select a “small” group youth w/ right
talents
2. Equip them w/ needed skills for long-
term success
3. Provide supporting framework for long-
term success
4. Leaders MUST create “spaces” for
other youth to participate

9. Empowering Youth:
The Key Things To Be Done
1. 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
2. Provide talent with other SKILLS
needed:
 STRATEGIC Thinking, 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
3. Supporting Framework:
 Access to expertise & opportunities for
collaboration
 Align them w/ influential SPONSORS

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

13. Empowering Youth:
The Key Things To Be Done
3. 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
4. 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