Northern Youth Are Not Interested in Cane Farming?

At today’s launch of the survey findings, a wide cross section of the sugar industry was represented, along with government agencies. The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association was in attendance today where acting C.E.O. Zune Canche says that the research has yielded valuable information that government and other partners can use to improve the lives of children and youth in the communities. Canche shares more about the research including a look at what young people think about the prospect of working in agriculture.

Zune Canche, Acting C.E.O., B.S.C.F.A.

Zune Canche

“Although the research itself doesn’t provide for a completion of the entire methodology which is to also put in place prevention projects and remediate, it does provide input as to what was found in those communities and those risks that were encountered if they are protection risks. And so what we hope to do is to see if the government agencies via the labour department and the human services department are able to respond to the issue of child labour in these communities. Additionally, there was the youth in agriculture survey. We wanted to see what the youth were saying because as the sugar industry we want to as much integrate the youth in the sugar industry. What this research highlighted is that many of the youth are not interested in sugar cane anymore and so in order for us to have a next generation, we need to ensure that we involve them so that they are able to assist us to find ways to integrate them back into the industry but in a manner that is also in a healthy environment for them. Additionally, based on the research, there were findings that came out and the findings were used to create and present a program strategy which is what was presented today along with a summary of the findings. The program strategy outlines some of the highlights of what we are recommending to Government that could be used to address child labour. And so we are hoping that they will take this program strategy along with the findings to enhance the research for the sample size to reflect more of the sample size within those two districts. But we are also hoping that they will use the strategy to find actions that they could integrate within the national action plan so that it is not only the sugar industry but we can work as a whole to establish a system to respond to this issue.”