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By Robert Andre Emmanuel
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The Antigua and Barbuda Agriculture Forum for Youth (ABAFY) was one of a number of local groups and farmers showcasing their produce at PiAngo Fest 2025, as the organisation aims to bring modern technology into an agriculture industry.
Michael Joseph, president of ABAFY, spoke with Observer media as his organization displayed dried fruits, watermelons, coconut slips, potatoes, okra and other products grown by their members, at the festival.
The organisation, which restarted operations in January, expressed their hope to address an aging farmer population in the country.
“The average age of a farmer in Antigua is 60 years old, so that’s not a bright future for the sector. So we are here to encourage more young people into the sector so we can have a continuation,” Joseph said. “I’ve been a farmer personally five years and I’ve been also a commercial fisherman since I was born.”
“It’s important for a continuation of the sector, but the sector needs, without the youth, there’s no future for the sector,” he added.
The ABAFY president outlined how modern approaches could revitalize traditional farming methods while incorporating technological innovations to improve efficiency and productivity.
“We need to revolutionise the way we farm, the traditional methods are inefficient, so we need young people to bring fresh ideas and bring more life into the sector with new technology, encouraging technologies,” Joseph told Observer media. “I incorporate drone technology into my farm, but I also help with spray drones for other farmers.”
However, land continues to be a challenge for young people looking to enter and grow in the space with the ABAFY President noting the limited land available for agriculture.
“So that’s why we want to do a more efficient style of farming so we can produce more with less land, with less resources like hydroponics, so we wouldn’t need the same amount of acreage to produce the same amount of food as the older farmers. You have to do with whatever little land we have, and we have to be as efficient with what we get,” Joseph explained.
In what would be his first time as President of an association, Joseph discussed his own learning curve in the position.
“Well, it’s been a learning process. It’s my first time in a role like this but I have strong comrades within the group who I lean on for support—the ministry of agriculture, Ika Fergus, the director of agriculture—they’ve all been key roles in helping the group getting in solid footing,” he said.
The president hopes the networking and exposure opportunities provided by participating in PiAngo Fest, would help boost their own standing in the industry.
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