Young farmer and 2019 National Youth Awardee for Agriculture Curtis Carabai has been selected for the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) initiative out of a pool of 1,800 applicants. And he is planning to implement what he learns about agro-processing in the programme in his Dow Village farming community when he returns home.

Launched in 2015, the US Department of State’s YLAI empowers emerging business and social entrepreneurs from across Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, and the United States, to realise the full economic potential of the region’s citizens.

The YLAI Fellowship Program is an annual exchange programme for 280 young business and social entrepreneurs from 37 countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, who are matched with businesses and organisations across the United States. In addition to entrepreneurial leadership training, YLAI Fellows build new skills, share best practices and forge commercial ties.

[caption id="attachment_911546" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Curtis Carabai prepares his land in Dow Village, Oropouche to plant patchoi. -[/caption]

The 28-year-old owner of Carabai's Fresh Produce told Newsday his involvement in the 2022 YLAI stemmed from his 2020 Youth Award.

"Young people are attracted to success and everybody likes to work with winners. The award brought influence not only because of its status but it shows the work I'm doing is recognised at a national level."

He added: "It was an honour and an opportunity to keep growing and not just standstill. It is always about moving upwards for me. Applying for the YLAI was my way of moving upwards from the Youth Award."

He explained the six-month YLAI programme covers different sectors and his sector would be agriculture/agro-processing.

"I am hoping to work with a US-based company whose speciality is agro-processing. It is something I want to get involved with on a large scale. I don't know any (local) farmers who make produce and add value. We are so accustomed to traditional agriculture where we grow and sell to the middle man and wholesaler."

The YLAI programme begins in January and Carabai will participate virtually before visiting the US in June to work with either an agro-processing company or a mega farm.

[caption id="attachment_911545" align="alignnone" width="720"] Young farmer Curtis Carabai with his one-year-old daughter Leyah Marie Carabai and a harvest of tomatoes. -[/caption]

He said his business Carabai's Fresh Produce has already started the process of taking items from the farm and adding value to be sold in the grocery. He added, however, with the lack of technical advancement in Trinidad and the lack of training it was difficult for him to grasp it.

"That's the main reason I'm applying for (the YLAI programme). I want to grow abroad and learn at a professional level and bring it into my company and my community of farmers."

Farm fresh

Carabai's Fresh Produce started about 2016 and is based in Carabai's hometown of Dow Village, Oropouche. He sells patchoi

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