Engaging the Youth through Technology in the Sugar Industry

While women make up just over forty percent of the registered farmers population, sixty percent of male farmers are above the age of fifty. Farming in the sugar industry is a traditional livelihood and there have been efforts to have youths engaged in the future of the industry. Cane Farmer Relations Manager Olivia Carballo-Avilez told News Five about engagement with youths by use of technology.

Olivia Carballo-Avilez

Olivia Carballo-Avilez, Cane Farmer Relations Manager, A.S.R./B.S.I.

“We have programs for young people as well. We have a youth tech program where we pay the youths who are more in tuned with technology than us so why not have them teach us. So that’s the attraction where they teach us about technology and the farmers and so there is an immediate exchange where they are able to come first hand with the farmers to see what they are doing. Technology is a big way in which we can encourage our youth and we have to bring in those changes in technology in this industry so that we are able to continue. Yes we have over sixty percent of our population is over fifty years and it is unique because cane farming is a tradition and everything, but these older people are leaving their lands and their assets to their kids and they don’t know what to do. We have several examples of women having to take on the family business because they don’t have another male in the family and these are the programs that we create so that they are able to access the information, access education. Definitely youths are a big part of our program and we will continue to design and be sure that we include the diversity in our community.”