Tenesha Thomas, Gleaner Writer
Students from the Independence City Primary School in Portmore, St. Catherine, remove weeds from their farm plot containing corn and peas, which they entered in the 4-H Club's School Gardening competition. - file
The Jamaica 4-H Club was established in 1940. Its mandate at the outset was to train young farmers good farming techniques, and to adequately prepare them for work
in the agricultural sector.
Sixty-six years later, the 4-H Club has trained more than half a million young persons in the areas of agriculture, home economics, environmental awareness and leadership. The Jamaica 4-H club continues to make an indelible contribution to the development of the country's agricultural sector.
"Most agriculturists were 4-H-ers, 4-H is that institution that introduces to them agriculture in a scientific way and as a career from quite early," boasted Lenworth Fulton, executive director of the Jamaica 4-H Club.
The institution is now revamping its mandate to broaden its scope to incorporate several other areas of training. But paramount on its list of objectives will remain the development of agriculture and to introduce careers to young people.
Youth
members
The club has 15 centres across the island. Together they have about 65 youth members between the age of 9 and 25 years.
"We have a tractor driving programme which is arguably the best around," bragged Mr. Fulton. According to him, persons 18 years and over are trained for three months in tractor operations and maintenance at the Denbigh centre in Clarendon. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a tractor driver's licence from the Transport Authority, and a NCTVet certificate.
"People coming out of these courses are ready for the world of work but we urge them to do further studies with HEART Trust NTA to get level one and two certification," said Mr. Fulton. He, however, was quick to point out that they were well equipped to begin working as apprentices.
Mr. Fulton said another integral project administered by the 4-H
Club is a school gardening project now under way in several schools across the island. The School Gardening Project, funded by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, offers training in a wide range of areas, from rearing livestock to maintaining plants and lawns.
"The primary focus is to expose children to agricultural activities, add to their food security system at the school, and to give biology and environmental teachers a practical area from which to teach," Mr. Fulton explained.
Another important project on the 4-H curriculum is the Environmental Challenge Project, where students are trained in solid waste management, drought management and soil conservation.
The students are taken on field trips and at the end of the course are required to present a research paper and a practical demonstration of the project.
The 4-H club also operates about 12 small farms where several crops such as beans, pimento, citrus and vegetables are cultivated.
Layer
unit
"At some of our farms we have a 2,000-layer unit where we produce eggs, and about 7 acres of Blue Mountain coffee, 15 acres of ackee and 50 acres of sugar cane," Mr. Fulton said.
Mr. Fulton also noted that the club has a rabbit breeding farm and about 50 heads of goats being reared at one of the centres. He said a coffee and pimento nursery will soon be established at the Longwood centre in Manchester. In addition to local training the 4-H club has created a number of ongoing international programmes, such as the International 4-H Youth Exchange programme, where 4-H members visit with farm families in the United States and learn various aspects of agriculture in exchange for young persons from the United States who visit with farm families in rural communities in Jamaica over a set period.
Arrangements
There are also the Michigan, Switzerland and Caribbean Exchange programmes that have similar arrangements. "This year we will have a large group coming for the Denbigh Agricultural Show and they will be staying with us," Mr. Fulton stated.
There are at least 40 events per year on the 4-H calendar, chief among them are family events such as 'Nyammings and Jammings' in Montego Bay, 'Westmoreland Seafood Jamboree' and 'Hanover Jerk Fest'.
In the meantime, the 4-H Club head is urging young persons to become more involved in agriculture to make it a more viable sector. He emphasised, however, that this can only be achieved through hard work.
"It (agriculture) cannot be a way of life, it has to be viewed as a business and you can make big money," Mr. Fulton emphasised.
