The JWN Foundation recently expanded its agropreneurship initiative, leveraging key partnerships to enhance community development and economic empowerment across Jamaica. Originally launched in St Elizabeth in 2021, the programme has now extended its reach to Kingston and Clarendon, with an additional 100 contributions added to its 2024 staging.

The initiative, which focuses on establishing sustainable poultry farming ventures, has been bolstered by collaborations with JN Bank, HEART/NSTA Trust, and Nutramix. These partnerships aim to provide comprehensive support to aspiring agropreneurs, combining financial education, skills training, and essential resources.

Diamond King, youth banking officer for partnerships & engagement at JN Bank, emphasised the importance of the initiative.

“The financial empowerment of our people is crucial to Jamaica’s economic success. JN Bank is committed to supporting entrepreneurs across various sectors, including agriculture. We applaud the JWN Foundation for leading this Agropreneurship initiative and are grateful for the opportunity to partner with them to educate entrepreneurs about our convenient solutions.”

King added that the partnership has yielded positive results.

“The information was well received, and several participants expressed interest in learning more about how we can assist them so we are eager to build on this collaboration in the future.”

Ronique Rhoden, director of community engagement at HEART/NSTA Trust, highlighted the alignment between the initiative and their mission.

“As a human development agency, we were pleased to assist in bringing training to improve the lives of community members. Agropreneurship is a booming business opportunity ideal for these communities, and we’re committed to showing a trajectory for improved livelihoods.”

Rhoden also noted the enthusiastic response from participants.

“The beneficiaries are excited to be trained by the Trust in micro, small & medium-sized business. They look forward to developing their skills to better themselves, their families, and their communities,” she ended.

The expanded programme continues to provide chicken starter kits in partnership with Nutramix, equipping farmers with the resources needed to establish and grow their poultry businesses. Maurice Williams, Nutramix assistant brand manager, expressed pride in supporting the initiative, stating that it “underscores the importance of empowering our communities through agribusiness”.

JWN Foundation CEO Tanikie McClarthy Allen emphasised the initiative’s impact.

“Over 40 farming families in Clarendon have already t from the programme, and with this expansion, many more in Kingston will now have the opportunity to enhance their livelihoods. By empowering our local farmers, we are fostering economic growth, job creation, and improved standards of living,” she stated.

This collaborative effort between the JWN Foundation and its partners exemplifies a shared commitment to “transforming lives and communities for a better Jamaica” through sustainable agribusiness development.