Jamaica is experiencing the effects of climate variability as it becomes increasingly more difficult to predict rainy seasons versus periods of drought. Crop failures and rising food prices becomes a threat to the 17.1% of the population, that is, persons living below the poverty line (World Bank, 2016). Of significance also is rural poverty which was recorded at 20.5% in 2016 (JIS, 2018), while 25% of Jamaican youth were reported to be living below the poverty line (The Gleaner, 2018). Climatic events will severely affect persons living in poverty leading to food insecurity and nutritional deprivations that can have lifelong impacts. In addition, these challenges have the potential to destroy livelihoods, drive rural migration further pressuring urban systems, increasing vulnerabilities to malnutrition, ill health and migration, particularly among youth. Given youth?s sheer percentage in the population, they have an increasingly strong social and environmental awareness, which has the power to transform our societies towards a low-carbon and climate resilient future.

Youth must therefore have a voice in action against, to mitigate or adapt to climate change and becomes critical as attention is directed towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project will target youths across the island through specific activities, particularly those relating to awareness building.

The overall objective of the project is to engage youth to provide inputs towards building a more resilient and productive farming sector, while providing the opportunity to design sustainable innovative agriculture solutions that are resilient and adaptive to climate impacts. The project intervention is aligned to the GEF Small Grants Programme?s climate change mitigation and land degradation focal areas. The project activities will focus on awareness, skills and competencies of young people that will lead to climate action at all levels and youth-led initiatives that focus on nature-based solutions that will lead to income generation and improved livelihoods.

Expected Results: At the end of the project, there will be:
? Increased level of awareness, skills and competencies in climate smart agriculture among the youth through a National Youth in Agriculture Symposium with the theme: ?Food Diversification: Combating Climate Change?
? Empowered youths to lead action against climate change impacts.
? Establishment of demonstration plots which will reflect the actualization of youth-led climate smart agriculture initiatives
? Agro-processing Enterprise Development Programme that will provide training and venture inputs to underserved and vulnerable rural youth (80% of which will target females).