At 29 years old, Dywany St. John is a farmer, police officer and now the 2026 CARICOM Young Farmer of the Year. But behind the regional recognition is a story that could challenge how young people view agriculture and the opportunities that exist within the sector. For St. John, who is from Wesley in Dominica's northeast, farming is part of a family tradition stretching across generations. “I've been farming for myself for about 12 years now,” he said. “I was born into a farm

FAO highlighted investment, stronger agricultural ecosystems and partnerships with financial institutions as key to boosting local production, strengthening resilience, and reducing the Caribbean’s dependence on food imports. — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlighted the need for faster action to strengthen agricultural ecosystems and expand tailored credit access for small producers at the 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA 2026) u

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, recently concluded a week-long technical mission, held from 24 to 31 August 2026, to strengthen the technical capacity of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; coconut value chain, with a rapid training session on coconut botany and production. The mission was carried out under the FAO project Building

Twenty-eight-year-old farmer Dywany St. John of Wesley has been named the CARICOM Young Farmer of the Year 2026, following his selection by a regional panel of judges. Mr. St. John will receive the award during the opening ceremony of the Twentieth Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2026 in Trelawny, Jamaica. The Northeast Region farmer manages a diversified 15-acre farm while serving as a Police Constable. His operation comprises four ac

Dominican farmer Ephraim Elijah Roberts has been named the recipient of the OECS Young Farmer Award, recognising his commitment to modern, diversified agriculture and his efforts to inspire a new generation of young people to enter the sector. He accepted his award during the OECS Youth and Women in Agriculture Symposium in Grenada on Thursday, September 3. Roberts, 29 of Castle Bruce, has developed a diversified agricultural enterprise built around the principle that “divers

At 28, Julino Cuffy represents a generation of young Dominicans seeing agriculture not simply as a tradition, but as an opportunity to build a livelihood and contribute to the country's food security. Agriculture was not initially the career Juliano had imagined. He had ambitions of becoming an aerospace engineer, but financial circumstances changed his path. Farming, which had been part of his family for generations, became an opportunity. Today, that opportunity is somethin

Dominican farmer Gilles Carbon-Jno Baptiste has been selected as one of the inaugural Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development. Mrs. Carbon-Jno Baptiste of Capuchin was selected following a highly competitive global process which attracted more than 600 nominations from 131 countries. According to the FAO, she distinguished herself through her leadership, dedication, innovation and tangible contri

A delegation from New Zealand's Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative, led by Programme Manager, Lee Nelson and Project Consultant, Dr. Julian Hill, has completed a successful five-day mission to Dominica, advancing the country's efforts to build a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector. The mission, which took place from June 22 – 26, 2026, formed part of the project "Advancing Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices in Dominica to Increase Production and Mitigate Gr

Practical training is helping farmers in the Commonwealth of Dominica adopt smarter irrigation and nutrient management practices to improve productivity and build resilience A group of 56 farmers, extension officers and other agricultural professionals in the Commonwealth of Dominica strengthened their capacity to improve vegetable production through more efficient irrigation, fertigation and nutrient management during a practical training programme led by the Food and Agricu

Regional sessions in Soufrière and Union combined classroom learning with field demonstrations to strengthen climate-smart vegetable production – Farmers, extension officers and agricultural professionals from the North and South regions in Saint Lucia have strengthened their practical skills in irrigation, fertigation and crop nutrition through two regional training sessions delivered by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) Delegation in Dominica reaffirmed its commitment to supporting agricultural development, food security, and rural livelihoods during its Annual Accountability Seminar, held on June 3, 2026. Under the theme "From Local Fields to Regional Markets: Strengthening Food Security through Trade, MSMEs and Accountability”, the seminar provided an opportunity for the Institute to report on its achievements in 2025, shar

Empowering Youth and Women in Agriculture through inclusive participation and capacity building – A group of young women and men took center stage on Friday, 5 June 2026, as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Transformation, held a Youth and Gender Inclusion Working Session at the Ministry of Agriculture Office in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The initiative fo

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved a new project to safeguard socio- economic activities and promote sustainable land management through nature-based solutions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The US $ 6.1 million Watershed Action for Restoring Ecosystems in the South Corridor of St. Vincent project was approved during the 71 GEF Council, held alongside the Eighth GEF Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It will be led by the UN Environment Programme and execu

Raise productivity, essential for building more resilient agrifood systems in Latin America and the Caribbean A report by Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean warns that increasing agricultural productivity is crucial for building a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable agricult

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture Delegation in Commonwealth of Dominica recently facilitated the hosting of a two-day African Swine Fever (ASF) Sampling Pilot aimed at strengthening surveillance, preparedness and response efforts against the disease within the Caribbean region. The initiative was conducted through collaboration between the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the United States Department of Agriculture (US

The initiative aims to help soursop exporters meet GLOBALG.A.P. standards, enhance food safety, improve traceability, and expand access to international markets 29 April, 2026 - St. George’s, Grenada - Building on ongoing efforts to strengthen Grenada’s soursop value chain, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry and the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), has l

High in the lush hills of Laudat, where mist drapes the mountains, one man is quietly reshaping the image of modern expertise. By day, Dr. Curlson George practices medicine. By dawn and dusk, he leads agricultural production at Mountain Fresh Farm, one of Dominica’s leading poultry operations—proving that farming is as much about knowledge, precision, and innovation as any other field. His story is not just one of balance. It’s one of vision, resilience, and a compelling invi

FEATURE STORY Inside a small greenhouse on a family farm in southern Grenada, lettuce grows without soil, powered by the sun. The Benjamins (Roger, 41, and Josanne, who goes by Candy, 38) stand inside this shaded structure, watching the flow of water through a network of narrow pipes. The lettuce above looks familiar—bright, green, neatly spaced—but it grows with its roots suspended in a steady stream of nutrient-rich water instead of soil. They did not set out to build somet

Relay-style experience to combine sports and culinary arts while supporting education, agriculture, tourism, health and sports initiatives – The Tasty Treasures Heritage Relay was officially launched on Sunday, April 12, in Delices, introducing a new relay-style experience set for August 1, 2026. The event blends running and baking while supporting initiatives in education, agriculture, tourism, health and sports. The relay will open with the White River Leg in Delices, wh

The United Nations Development Programme, in partnership with the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Ministry of Environment, Rural Modernisation, Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment, the Kalinago Council, and international partner IsraAID, recently marked a significant milestone in advancing climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods in the Kalinago Territory through a multi-activity handover and partnership ceremony on 19 March. The event highl