Antiguan farmer Michael Joseph has been named CARICOM Youth Farmer of the Year 2025, earning regional recognition for his innovative and sustainable approach to agriculture.

Joseph, who serves as President of the Antigua and Barbuda Agriculture Forum for Youth (ABAFY), received the award on Monday at the opening ceremony of the 19th Caribbean Week of Agriculture in St Kitts and Nevis.

His journey, from walking four miles daily to his farm and irrigating crops with recycled plastic bottles, to now managing a high-tech operation captured the attention of regional leaders committed to transforming food systems.

Joseph told delegates at the St Kitts Marriott Resort, “An investment in young farmers is an investment in food, and an investment in food is an investment in life itself.”

Joseph currently cultivates just over one-and-a-half acres using no-till farming and climate-smart practices that allow him to double the average yield per acre. His operation includes two agricultural drones that reduce labour, water, and chemical use by more than half, while boosting crop coverage and productivity.

“I started with nothing, today, I provide drone services to over 20 farmers across the island.” Joseph remarked

The Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy described the award as a proud national achievement, praising Joseph’s “dedication, resilience, and innovation” as a reflection of Antigua and Barbuda’s growing agricultural movement.

Joseph also employs water-storing crystals to cut irrigation needs in half, practices Korean-style natural farming to restore soil health, and produces USDA-approved natural pesticides from local materials. Beyond his own fields, he assists other farmers with land preparation using tractors and excavators, and has presented on drone technology at both regional and international forums.

His recognition comes as CARICOM pushes to reduce food imports which make up more than 80 percent of the region’s consumption under the “25 by 25 plus 5” initiative, aimed at cutting the food import bill by 25 percent by 2030.

Deputy Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Jeffrey Hanley, lauded Joseph as an example of agriculture’s future. “Too often, young people hear the word agriculture and immediately picture back-breaking labor under a hot sun,” Hanley said. “That is not the agriculture of the future. The agriculture of the future is creative, innovative, technologically advanced, and can be very profitable.”

Also honoured at the ceremony was Jamaica Broilers Limited’s Best Dressed Chicken division, which received the CARICOM Farmer of the Year 2025 award.

The Caribbean Week of Agriculture continues throughout the week with sessions on food security, climate-smart farming, and regional cooperation, drawing participants from across CARICOM and beyond.