The Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development is conducting a skills needs assessment of the agriculture and fisheries sectors to identify the human resources and training needs to make them more modern and efficient.

It is being facilitated by the Ministry of Labour’s Human Resource Development Programme Implementation Unit, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management.

The assessment will inform an Education and Training Strategy for the sectors and the development of relevant, demand-driven competency-based programmes. It is envisioned that the Strategy will also address increased food security for Barbados and the export trade of quality agricultural products.

Participants will hear the findings to date from surveys and stakeholder consultations carried out on the agriculture and fisheries sectors during a meeting with stakeholders on Monday, April 16, at the Savannah Hotel, Hastings, Christ Church, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Minister of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development, Senator Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, will deliver remarks, while Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Dr. David Estwick, will deliver the feature address to the gathering.

The assessment will also review current education and training programmes at the secondary, post-secondary and tertiary levels and highlighted opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and investment in agriculture and fisheries.

Strengthening these sectors falls under Pillar 5 of the Human Resources Development Strategy, with emphasis being placed on developing a more modern agricultural sector.

The development of the Education and Training Strategy is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, with funding from the European Union.