The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, through its agency the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, has partnered with dancehall superstar Alkaline’s global New Rules Festival to launch New Era Agriculture; a two-day workshop exploring the viability of agriculture as a culturally relevant path for Jamaican youth.
The programme will be held in Trelawny on July 2–3, 2025, just ahead of the New Rules Festival, which takes place on Saturday, July 5, 2025 at the Trelawny Stadium. Designed to align youth energy with national development, the initiative will operate under the theme: “New Era Agriculture – Youth, Culture and Innovation in the Field.”
Hon. Floyd Green, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, praised the initiative as an innovative approach to youth engagement.
“Attracting more young people to agriculture is a top priority of ours and what better way to engage them than through the music and artistes they already love,” said Minister Green. “This partnership bridges culture and opportunity. With the Jamaica 4-H Clubs and the reach of the New Rules Festival, we’re creating hands-on experiences that deliver exposure, skills and real pathways into the agri-sector.”
The two-day workshop will engage 25 selected youth in a highly interactive format featuring:
· Face-to-face sessions in urban agriculture, agribusiness and agri-tech
· Real-world exposure to opportunities in the agriculture and entertainment sectors
· Expert-led discussions from industry professionals
· A pitch competition, where participants will form teams to develop innovative agribusiness ideas, with the winning team receiving seed funding to bring their project to life, and;
· Concert tickets and national media exposure for all participants
Participants will also receive certificates of completion, recognizing their involvement in the programme.
Beyond the workshop, the initiative will provide employment for 50–80 youth from the Trelawny area, who will be trained and hired to support the New Rules Festival. These paid roles, spanning logistics, hospitality, production and customer experience, will give participants valuable experience in event operations and service industries.
Kereena Beckford, Manager of Alkaline and Event Organizer for New Rules, stated the broader vision behind the initiative, “This is both a major cultural event and a meaningful platform for youth development. They go hand in hand,” said Beckford. “Alkaline believes in using his platform to create real impact. New Era Agriculture shows what’s possible when we merge culture with community development. We’re giving youth inspiration. We’re giving them access. We are giving them support.”
The initiative has attracted support from a strong network of sponsors including Boom Energy Drink, Rum Bar Rum, St Mary Snacks, Signature Clarks, Reviv, Benjamins & Benjamins Cosmetics, New Era Productions and Shuzzr LLC.
The Ministry of Agriculture, through the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, continues to ramp up youth engagement by delivering initiatives like New Era Agriculture, designed to provide real skills, exposure and pathways into a modern, opportunity-rich agricultural sector.
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