The National Initiative to Create Employment recently engaged residents from Ravine Poisson to Cul De Sac to discuss the implementation of the farming program.

The National Initiative to Create Employment (NICE), has engaged a new group of community members in its aim to generate employment and support for the agricultural sector.

On Wednesday, NICE held a meeting with farmers and other members of the community to discuss the implementation of the Farm Labor Support Program  in Region 8 (Ravine Poisson to Cul De Sac).

The program was successfully implemented in regions 1-7 and yielded many positive results for farmers and workers alike. Its introduction in Feb. 2014 was crucial in facilitating the growth and sustainability of the agriculture sector, resulted  in an increase in food production islandwide, and a general a shift in the mindset of persons working within the agricultural sector.

The farming program  is a collaboration between  NICE and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Production and Rural Development. It was designed to stimulate the agricultural sector through the use of specially trained and skilled personnel to work on farms that have been dormant or under producing due to the high cost of production, unavailability of skilled labor, inability to afford skilled labor, and loss or lack of market share.

The initiative is also an attempt to stimulate the interest of the youth in agriculture and provides an opportunity to experience success through the development of transferable job and life-skills.

The program targets unemployed persons aged 16 – 45 for specialty training in crop production.

Interested persons within Region 8 are asked to contact NICE at 758.468.2177 or visit the office on the 3rd floor of the Blue Coral Mall, William Peter Boulevard.