The CARICOM Boost: Women and Youth in Agriculture Project is a strategic regional initiative designed to strengthen food security, enhance climate resilience, and empower women and young people within the agri-food sector across CARICOM Member States. Implemented by the CARICOM Secretariat with the support of the Government of New Zealand, the project responds directly to the increasing climate-related pressures facing the Region’s agricultural systems.

At its core, the initiative seeks to build sustainable livelihoods and expand employment opportunities by strengthening the technical, managerial, and entrepreneurial capacities of women and youth engaged in agriculture and agribusiness. The project aligns with CARICOM’s regional objective of reducing the Food Import Bill by 25 per cent by 2025, contributing to greater self-sufficiency and resilience within the agri-food value chain.

Through a structured programme of capacity-building interventions, the project will engage 188 women and young people, equipping them with practical skills in agricultural best practices, production planning, and post-harvest management. Participants will benefit from targeted training, hands-on support, and access to essential agricultural technologies and infrastructure.

Implementation will take place across Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname. Key project outputs include the construction of 47 shade houses to support controlled-environment agriculture, the installation of 15 solar-powered cold storage units, and the distribution of post-harvest and storage crates to improve produce handling, quality, and preservation.

Collectively, these interventions are intended to strengthen regional agricultural productivity, enhance climate adaptation, and position women and youth as central drivers of a more resilient and sustainable Caribbean agri-food system.