The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Dominica, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, the National Association of Youth in Agriculture (NAYA) and Kubuli Farms, has launched a 20-week Farmers Field School (FFS) designed to draw more young people into farming and to make the island's agriculture more resilient.
The programme brings together a migrant-focused international agency, the national agriculture ministry and a youth farming association in a single training effort. Its stated purpose is to strengthen youth participation in agriculture while building the capacity of local producers to withstand shocks.
The Farmers Field School model is a hands-on approach in which participants learn by working directly in the field rather than in a classroom alone. Over the 20 weeks, those enrolled are expected to gain practical skills in crop production and farm management, with the training delivered on the ground at Kubuli Farms.
For Dominica, the initiative speaks to two long-standing concerns. The first is the need to keep young people involved in an sector that many have drifted away from in favour of other employment. The second is the island's exposure to hurricanes and other hazards, which can wipe out crops and set farmers back years. A field school that combines youth recruitment with resilience training addresses both at once.
The involvement of NAYA places the programme close to the audience it is meant to serve. The association represents young people already working in or interested in agriculture, and its partnership with IOM and the ministry gives participants a direct link to national policy and to an international organisation with experience in community-based livelihoods.
Kubuli Farms serves as the practical base for the training. By hosting the field school, the farm provides participants with access to working land, tools and the day-to-day realities of commercial production, which is central to the field school method.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy is the national authority responsible for the sector, and its participation signals that the programme is aligned with government efforts to strengthen food production and rural livelihoods. The ministry's full title reflects the island's twin focus on marine resources and on blue and green economic development.
IOM Dominica's role reflects the organisation's wider work on migration and development in the Caribbean. Programmes that support agriculture and youth employment are often designed to give communities viable alternatives to migration and to help those who remain build more secure futures.
The launch of the field school is the beginning of a 20-week cycle. Participants will be expected to complete the full programme, and the skills acquired are intended to be applied on their own farms or in the communities they come from.
No further details on the number of participants, the selection process or the specific crops covered were provided at the time of the launch. Further information is expected from the partners as the programme progresses.
For Dominica, the initiative adds to a growing set of efforts to modernise agriculture and to make it attractive to a younger generation. Whether the field school produces a lasting increase in youth participation will depend on how well its graduates are supported once the 20 weeks are over.
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