Youth at the heart of Caribbean agrifood.

As Chairwoman, Teesha provides leadership to CAYAB's work to strengthen meaningful youth participation in regional agricultural policy, food security and agrifood-system development. She champions practical opportunities that enable young people to contribute as producers, entrepreneurs, innovators and policy partners.

Her professional experience includes executive leadership of Guyana's Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme and One Guyana Agriculture Inc. Through this work, she has helped advance hands-on agricultural training, climate-smart production and enterprise development for young people.

Teesha has supported approaches that combine protected agriculture, high-value crop production and business incubation to help young participants move from learning into viable agricultural enterprise. Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to innovation, sustainability and greater regional food production.

She holds a Diploma in Agriculture from the Guyana School of Agriculture and a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture from the University of Guyana. Her continuing professional development has also strengthened her experience in project planning, strategic management, team building, risk management and stakeholder engagement.

At the regional level, Teesha advocates for increased participation by youth and women in agriculture, stronger support systems for young agripreneurs and greater use of climate-smart and innovative production practices.

Through CAYAB, she is committed to building a collaborative regional platform that listens to young people, converts their experience into actionable recommendations and strengthens their role in shaping a food-secure and resilient Caribbean.

Jerad works at the intersection of agriculture, youth leadership, cooperative development, public policy and regional programme coordination. Through CAYAB, he supports efforts to strengthen the voice of young people in Caribbean agricultural decision-making and to build practical pathways from consultation to implementation.

He plays a leading role in coordinating the CAYAB Regional Consultation and Validation Series, working with youth leaders, farmers, technical institutions, policymakers and development partners to review the CAYAB Institutional Framework and the proposed Local Agriculture First Policy. His approach emphasizes informed participation, transparent validation and clear institutional follow-through.

Jerad contributes to the development of regional proposals focused on local procurement, market access, agricultural infrastructure, digital systems, data and institutional accountability. He advocates for agricultural policies that create fairer opportunities for young farmers, cooperatives and youth-led agrifood enterprises.

In The Bahamas, Jerad serves as President of the Citizens and Farmers Cooperative. His cooperative work promotes practical agricultural production, shared enterprise, member development and stronger community participation in the agrifood economy.

He is also an advocate for digital transformation in agriculture and for systems that help producers connect with markets, services, finance and regional opportunities. He has been invited by the CARICOM Secretariat to contribute to the 2026 Youth E-Agriculture Workshop during Caribbean Week of Agriculture, sharing perspectives on innovation, digital technologies and youth leadership.

As Vice-Chairman, Jerad is committed to strengthening CAYAB's institutional foundation, expanding regional partnerships and ensuring that young Caribbean agricultural leaders are recognized not only as participants, but as partners in shaping and implementing the region's agrifood priorities.

As a member of the CARICOM Agriculture Youth Advisory Body, Anissa is committed to ensuring that young people have a meaningful voice in shaping inclusive, sustainable and resilient agrifood systems across the Caribbean.

She is the Founder and Owner of R&A Poultry & More, an integrated agribusiness specializing in crop production, animal rearing, agro-processing and value-added agricultural products. The enterprise cultivates Scotch bonnet peppers, sweet potatoes, strawberries, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes and Irish potatoes. It also engages in livestock production and produces sweet potato flour, cold-pressed castor oil, dried herbs and spices.

Anissa actively promotes climate-smart agriculture, protected farming systems, digital agriculture and sustainable agro-processing. She believes technology and value addition are critical to improving productivity, reducing post-harvest losses, increasing farmers' incomes and strengthening regional food systems.

She is preparing to pursue an Associate Degree in General Agriculture at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (C.A.S.E.) and holds certifications in Crop Production, Greenhouse Technology, Small Business Management and Micro Entrepreneurship.

Her leadership extends beyond her enterprise. She serves as Secretary of the Manchester Strawberry Farmers Association and has represented Jamaica internationally, including at the Rural Hemisphere Meeting in Costa Rica.

Anissa is the 2025 Miss Manchester Farm Queen and a Top Five Finalist in the National Farm Queen Competition. Her recognitions include Most Collaborative, Most Agriculturally Aware, the 2025 MIIC pitch award, the 2025 National Agribusiness Pitch Competition award and the Prime Minister's Youth Award for Excellence in Agriculture and Agro-Processing.

Through her work with farmers, youth organizations, government agencies and regional partners, Anissa advocates for meaningful youth participation in agricultural policy, entrepreneurship, innovation and climate resilience.

Known for her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to sustainable practices, Keriah is the owner of Riahs Farms and General Manager of Young and Royal. Through these roles, she demonstrates the contribution that youth-led enterprise, practical innovation and responsible production can make to the future of agriculture.

Her leadership extends across national, regional and international youth platforms. She serves as Vice Chair of the Future Farmers Think Tank Charity and is a member of the Latin America and Caribbean Youth Policy Board of the World Food Forum. In these capacities, she advocates for meaningful youth participation in agricultural policy, entrepreneurship and food-systems transformation.

Keriah is pursuing studies at Delaware State University and Barbados Community College. She has also participated in the Barbados Youth Action Programme and the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme. Her agricultural foundation was established at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, where she earned a Diploma in Agriculture.

Her commitment to sustainable innovation is reflected in specialized certifications in Syntropic Agriculture and Permaculture. These areas strengthen her interest in productive agricultural systems that work in harmony with the natural environment.

Keriah was recognized as Micro-Enterprise of the Year in 2022 and received the Canewood Award in 2024 for her advocacy on behalf of young people in agriculture in Barbados.

She is committed to being a force for positive change in the agricultural sector in Barbados and across the Caribbean. Keriah encourages young people to recognize that agriculture is essential to life, health and regional resilience, and believes food should be produced and consumed in ways that are both healthy and holistic.

Dr. Lugay works within Dominica's agricultural sector, where her professional experience encompasses veterinary services, livestock development, animal health and disease surveillance. Her work supports the protection of livestock, public health and the resilience of national food systems.

She contributes to Dominica's One Health approach, which brings together animal, human and environmental health professionals to address zoonotic and emerging diseases. Her participation in national preparedness activities has included disease-surveillance discussions, technical prioritisation and inter-agency collaboration.

Dr. Lugay has also participated in regional technical training related to African swine fever, veterinary diagnostics and suspicious-case surveillance. These areas are important to protecting Caribbean livestock industries, farmer livelihoods and regional food security.

Beyond veterinary health, she has supported farmer education on agricultural data collection and climate-smart practices, including improved livestock feeding, composting, crop rotation and farm recordkeeping.

Her agricultural engagement also includes support for Dominica's apiculture sector and recognition of the contribution bees and professional beekeeping make to food production, livelihoods and national development.

As a CAYAB Executive Member, Dr. Lugay brings technical knowledge in veterinary medicine, food-system health and agricultural resilience to regional youth-led dialogue and policy development.

Nicholas's passion for farming began at a young age and inspired him to pursue a degree in agriculture. His education provided the technical knowledge and practical experience needed to contribute meaningfully to agricultural development in Saint Lucia.

In his professional role as an Extension Agent, Nicholas works closely with farmers to promote sustainable, innovative and climate-smart practices. His work supports improved farm productivity and the development of more resilient local food systems.

Alongside his extension responsibilities, he operates a mixed farming enterprise focused on crop production and apiculture. The enterprise allows him to apply new techniques in practice, test approaches under real farming conditions and lead by example within the agricultural community.

Nicholas is deeply committed to youth engagement in agriculture and advocates for greater participation by young people throughout the sector. He believes agriculture is a diverse, innovative and viable career path with considerable potential for entrepreneurship and economic development.

Through his work with farmers and young people, Nicholas seeks to build a stronger appreciation for agriculture's critical role in food and nutrition security while helping others recognize the opportunities available across the agricultural value chain.

As Farm Manager at Prospect Farms, Tahje contributes practical agricultural leadership and farm-management experience to CAYAB's regional work.

He is passionate about youth empowerment, sustainable agriculture and regional collaboration. Through his representation of Grenada, he supports efforts to ensure that young people have a meaningful voice in the policies and programmes shaping Caribbean agriculture.

Tahje is committed to advancing food security and creating stronger opportunities for young people to participate, innovate and build livelihoods throughout the agricultural sector.

His work with CAYAB reflects a belief in leadership, innovation and policy advocacy as practical tools for strengthening agriculture in Grenada and across the wider Caribbean.