Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, the Hon. Floyd Green, yesterday unveiled the Graduate Recruitment, Internship and Training (GRIT) Programme during his Sectoral Presentation in Parliament under the theme "A New Era."
The GRIT Programme is an initiative that will recruit, train, mentor, and place recent tertiary graduates in agriculture-related businesses for a minimum of one year, with pay. It is designed to address the longstanding challenge young professionals face in accessing meaningful work experience and to build a dynamic and skilled agricultural workforce.
Minister Green credited the idea to a student-led proposal that emerged from a Think Tank by the Ministry, held at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) on May 14, 2025.
“We held a Think Tank at C.A.S.E and I want to thank the students for participating. This is why you must consult your students. Out of that Think Tank, we have pulled forward a programme that was presented by the students. I am proud to unveil that we are going to be embarking on the Graduate Recruitment, Internship and Training Programme. We will be working with the HEART/Trust to place these students in agricultural based businesses for 1 year with pay! This programme will start at the end of the academic year.”
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining remains focused on creating meaningful opportunities for young Jamaicans to build lasting careers in agriculture. The GRIT Programme reflects that priority, recognizing that the future of the sector depends on developing and supporting the next generation.
“This is a new era of agriculture, built on partnerships that work,” Minister Green said. “GRIT is a direct response to the voices of our young people. We engaged them, they called for action and that’s exactly what they got!”
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