A collaborative agricultural development effort between a regional development financial body and a leading Caribbean academic institution has marked a key milestone, with the successful completion of specialized training for emerging agri-entrepreneurs. FundAccess, a Barbados-based enterprise development and financing organization, has partnered with The University of the West Indies’ Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (UWI CAGRI) to wrap up the Broiler and Layer Management Workshops, a core component of the organizations’ joint Agri-Grow Enterprise Development Programme. A formal closing ceremony to honor participating trainees was hosted recently at UWI’s Cave Hill Campus, where all 22 program graduates received Certificates of Achievement in recognition of their full participation and successful completion of the rigorous training curriculum.
Kicking off in June 2026, the workshops were purpose-built to address a critical gap in Caribbean agricultural development: equipping both aspiring and current farming entrepreneurs with the full spectrum of capabilities needed to launch and sustain profitable poultry operations. Unlike generic agricultural training programs, the curriculum blended hands-on technical skill-building, academic expertise, and core business acumen to prepare participants for long-term success. Under the guidance of lead instructor Dr. Michele Singh, trainees mastered core poultry production topics including broiler and layer flock management, sustainable housing design, optimized nutrition and feeding protocols, production cycle planning, proactive animal health management, and biosecurity best practices. To bridge the gap between theory and practice, the program incorporated interactive practical exercises, such as a collaborative battery cage construction project, that let participants apply classroom learning while building critical teamwork and adaptive problem-solving skills.
Program organizers recognized that technical proficiency alone is rarely enough to build a successful agricultural enterprise, so the curriculum also included dedicated training in core agri-business fundamentals. Sessions covered essential topics such as standardized financial record-keeping, market positioning and preparation, regulatory compliance, and enterprise governance. Led by Jonathan Seecharan of Caribbean Export, these business-focused modules pushed participants to reframe farming not as a small-scale subsistence activity, but as a formal, market-driven, and sustainable business venture.
During the closing ceremony, FundAccess Project Development Officer Tristan Lowe walked attendees through the full range of the organization’s offerings, highlighting the financing products, targeted technical assistance, and ongoing business development support available to entrepreneurs looking to launch new agricultural ventures or scale existing ones. Jillisia Mayers, FundAccess Business Development Officer and lead for the Agri-Grow project, emphasized the transformative vision behind the initiative in her remarks. “Agri-Grow was developed not simply to train farmers but to help develop agricultural entrepreneurs,” Mayers explained. “By combining technical instruction with practical experience, sound business principles and information on financing, participants are better positioned to transform agricultural opportunities into viable and sustainable enterprises.”
The successful completion of the poultry workshops highlights the power of cross-sector collaboration: the program leverages UWI CAGRI’s decades of specialized agricultural research and training expertise, paired with FundAccess’ deep experience in enterprise development and access to financing for small and medium businesses, to create a holistic support pathway for agri-entrepreneurs. While this round of training has concluded, the broader Agri-Grow Programme will continue rolling out new specialized modules throughout the rest of 2026. Upcoming workshops include a Crop Production session launching August 13, followed by a Sheep Production program starting September 15, and a Pig Production training kicking off October 21.
Through this ongoing series of workshops, FundAccess and UWI CAGRI are investing in long-term economic and food security progress for Barbados. By supporting the growth of competitive, locally rooted agricultural small businesses, the initiative aims to generate new local employment opportunities, reduce reliance on imported food, strengthen domestic food production capacity, and drive inclusive, sustainable economic growth across the country.