Agriculture is critical to the development of any nation, and Jamaica is no exception. And while the youth are the future of agriculture and food security, many young people do not see agriculture as an attractive or lucrative profession. But Tyrone Anderson, a vibrant 26-year-old, is ready to challenge this notion.
Overlooking 18 acres of vast land situated in Mason River district in Clarendon, Anderson cares for and cultivates a multitude of crops — lettuce, pak choi, cabbage, tomato, sweet pepper, hot pepper, carrot, spinach and pumpkin. Aside from the 18-acre open field, he uses a 3,000 square foot greenhouse and tunnel house and supplies vegetables to supermarkets islandwide, to vendors' stalls and even and quick service restaurants.
You could say farming is in the young man's blood, as the farm he now operates was once his father's. The two have partnered on a joint venture and together, they contract-grow with approximately 20 farmers within the community in an effort to adequately supply the growing list of customers.