Young farmer reaping rewards of agriculture

At 29, Rhodri Murray is making a living from a profession that many young Jamaicans would rather avoid because it means getting their hands dirty.

But the St Catherine farmer, who raises broiler chickens, says those who turn up their noses at agriculture could be overlooking an opportunity to make serious money.

“Profit is there. I know that persons say they are not putting their hands in any dirty water or clean certain mess but, if they know that the profit line is there, they will more jump into it and look over that. People go where money is,” Murray told THE WEEKEND STAR.

The Bog Walk farmer, who has been operating his livestock business for five years, said agriculture has provided him with a level of financial independence.

“I am grateful to be this financially stable at such a young age. I am able to provide for my family,” he said. Although he has not yet reached his ultimate financial goal, Murray believes he is making steady progress.

His journey into agriculture, however, began long before he started earning money from it. Murray credits his grandfather with inspiring his interest in farming.

“My grandfather is involved in a lot of things when it comes on to farming — cows, chicken, and on the land he plants. He is really my inspiration,” Murray shared.

He recalled developing an interest in agriculture while attending primary school and later pursuing the subject at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level. Speaking at the World Food Day National Ceremony and Mini Expo on Wednesday, Murray said seeing schoolchildren exploring the agricultural exhibits reminded him of his own childhood.

“I have been a farmer since I was in primary school. So, sitting here today watching these children and watching them attend this expo, it brings a smile on my face,” he said.

Despite the opportunities he has found in the industry, Murray believes negative attitudes towards agricultural work continue to discourage potential young farmers.

“The biggest stigma around farming is ‘Mi nah dig inna di grung’ and ‘Mi nah clean up certain mess’. But, if you look past those stuff, there are a lot of benefits. There is a lot of profit you can make from it, if you look past the stigma,” he said. Murray has also begun diversifying his agricultural interests by venturing into fishing, a move he hopes will create additional opportunities.

His moves come as Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Minister Floyd Green is encouraging farmers and fisherfolk to embrace innovation to improve food production. Speaking at the same event, Green highlighted the Government’s marine cage farming initiative, which allows fish to be raised in enclosed structures at sea rather than relying solely on traditional fishing methods. He said the initiative, undertaken with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), had already demonstrated its potential, with more than 5,700 pounds of fish harvested in a single day following a seven-month growing period.

“We now moving into the next phases where we are going to be growing out Red Snapper,” Green announced.

Green said a major achievement of the initiative was the transfer of technical knowledge to Jamaicans, allowing them to build and manage the marine cages themselves, rather than relying entirely on overseas expertise.

“They (the FAO) taught us how to build the cages and they went back to Italy. We built the cages, brought out the cages, we grew the fish, we harvested the fish, and now we can expand that across Jamaica.”

For Murray, who has already ventured into fishing, the development presents another opportunity to expand his business.

“Definitely, I want to know and inform myself more about that,” he said. With Christmas approaching, the young farmer is confident that his business will continue to provide for those around him.

“I can proudly say we nah go hungry for Christmas,” he declared.