Young, Farming and Building Dominica: Dywany St. John Shows the Opportunity in Agriculture

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 farming family, and I just inherited the lifestyle of farming.”

His late father, Sherlock St. John, was a farmer, as was his grandfather. Today, St. John is carrying that tradition forward while approaching agriculture as both a livelihood and a business.

He operates approximately 15 acres across several plots, combining crop and livestock production. He grows bananas, plantains, tannia, potatoes, avocado and citrus, while also raising cattle, goats, sheep and pigs.

And he does all of this while serving as a police officer.

“When I'm not on the job, I go to the farm,” St. John explained.

His days off are often spent working the land, while on days when he begins police duties later, he uses his mornings for farming. He describes it simply as going “from work to work.”

St. John's experience offers an important example at a time when encouraging greater youth participation in agriculture is increasingly important to the future of food production and food security.

He believes one of the first barriers that must be addressed is how farming itself is perceived.

“With farming, it's all about the mindset towards farming,” he said, challenging the idea that agriculture should be viewed as work for people of a particular social or economic background.

“Doctors are doing farming, lawyers are doing farming, more police officers are actually doing farming,” he added. “Farming does make a decent amount of income once you put your mind to it.”

For St. John, farming also requires patience, planning and an understanding of the business behind food production.

He currently supplies produce to buyers approximately every two weeks, including bananas, plantains, dasheen and avocado depending on what is ready for harvest. He says farmers also have a responsibility to communicate with buyers, understand their markets and plan production accordingly.

The lesson is an important one for young people considering agriculture: producing food is only one part of farming. Understanding markets and treating the farm as an enterprise are also essential.

St. John sees another advantage that few industries can claim: people will always need food.

“If I wasn't a police officer, I would be farming full time,” he said. “I advise a lot of young people they should actually look into farming.”

His reasoning is simple.

“People actually need you three times a day or sometimes four times a day because you eat three times a day or sometimes four.”

That connection between farmers, livelihoods and the availability of food makes increasing participation in agriculture particularly important to strengthening food security.

Young farmers can play a significant role in that future  bringing new ideas, building agricultural enterprises and increasing local food production while creating livelihoods for themselves and others.

Supporting more people to enter and remain in agriculture, however, requires more than encouragement.

Innovative and improved initiatives that respond to the needs of different groups can help increase participation in agricultural sector activities.

As part of these efforts, IOM Dominica, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, the National Association of Youth in Agriculture (NAYA) and Kubuli Farms will  launch a Farmer's Field School on 9th October 2026, with interventions aimed at increasing participation among groups including men, youth and migrants.

The initiative will provide another avenue for participants to strengthen their knowledge and agricultural practices through practical “learning by doing”.

For young people considering their future, stories like St. John's demonstrate that agriculture can represent more than traditional farming. It can provide income, entrepreneurship and an opportunity to contribute directly to the country's food security.

St. John is also clear about where he wants to build that future.

For one of the Caribbean's leading young farmers, building Dominica starts from the ground up.

“I'm not leaving Dominica for nothing,” he said. “I have no interest in leaving Dominica. I'm gonna help to build Dominica.”