Students returned from IICA Youth Farm Caribbean Vocational Qualification Programme
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs (MAFBA) in June, sent off six (6) students and two (2) teachers chosen to attend the IICA Youth Farm Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Program in Barbados.
Seven (7) of the candidates participated in the Crops CVQ Program while two (1) were enrolled in the Livestock Program. This is the third set of candidates from Antigua and Barbuda to participate in the Youth Farm program.
The Youth Farm Summer Program was an eight-week intensive training plan in crop and livestock farming and land-based fisheries. The focus was on diversified vegetables, meat, and fish for local markets. The program is collaboratively offered by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training in Barbados, and the Barbados Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council.
Wednesday morning, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs, Hon. Samantha Marshall and Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) National Specialist, Craig Thomas officially welcomed back the students and teachers from their Summer in Barbados.
Each student had the opportunity to give their feedback on how they found their experience in Barbados. For all of them it was their first time without their parent’s guidance and had to learn to grow up quickly and be responsible for themselves.
All of the students expressed that they learnt so much on the trip and they are looking forward to sharing that knowledge and implementing it in their school’s agriculture programs and even start their own farms.



