Caribbean News
JAMAICA: Sutanya Ellington ‘Rocking The Boots and The Heels’
#Kingston, March 9, 2023 – When she’s not out in the field tending to her animals or in front of a classroom full of eager students, National Farm Queen for 2022, Sutanya Ellington, can be found advocating for the equitable advancement of women in agriculture.
Since taking the coveted crown last summer at the Denbigh Agricultural Industrial Food Show, the Manchester native has built a network of other parish queens, whose mission is to use their platforms to encourage other women to get involved in the sector.
The network of queens, dubbed ‘Agro Ambassadors’, operates under the apt mantra ‘We know fi rock di boots and we know fi rock di heels’.
Ms. Ellington tells JIS News that the programme is a natural extension of her lifelong passion for farming.
“I basically grew up around different animals at home. Our backyard was relatively fruitful, which got me in the
groove of agriculture. In that age, I didn’t know it as agriculture, I knew it as just farming,” she points out.
It was while she was a student at Bellfield High School that the young woman became exposed to the different aspects of agriculture and became actively involved with the Jamaica 4-H Clubs and its competitions. In 2015, she was crowned the National Pig Care and Management champion.
“This led me to see that I am definitely loving the field of agriculture, and I would want to go further in it,” she recalls.
Ms. Ellington graduated from high school with a grade one in agricultural science and later enrolled in the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE).
Looking back, she says she received immense support to propel her towards her current roles as an agricultural teacher, farmer and advocate.
“I had a very good teacher by the name of Mr. Hibbert, who basically pushed us and launched us into various training seminars where agriculture is concerned and just to learn about agriculture and the different aspects of it, the different careers and so on,” she explains.
“Because of the love I had for it (agriculture), I wanted to create more persons like me. I wanted to be a teacher that could make an impact just as how I was impacted by my teacher to go into the sector and to show persons that agriculture is attractive,” she adds.
Ms. Ellington was also a member of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs’ Youth Advocate Council where she says she “had a voice in agriculture”.
She tells JIS News that, “I decided I wanted an even stronger voice… . The National Farm Queen competition caught my eyes because it focuses on empowering women in agriculture”.
Winning the contest was only half of the way towards fulfilling her dream of really making an impact in agriculture, thus ‘Agro Ambassadors’ was born.
The farm queen describes the group as “Basically a network of queens across the island”.
“Our mission is to promote the importance of the agriculture sector to Jamaica’s economy by spreading awareness of projects and programmes provided by established organisations. We also aim to stimulate young people and females by targeting all youth from the basic school and beyond,” she outlines.
Agro Ambassadors is targeting the registration of more than 200 young people and female farmers with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) before July 2023 and is looking to sensitise at least 100 females, aged 18 to 25, about the national farm queen competition.
The group also has the ambition of introducing 50 young people to aquaculture and aquaponics through the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.
The Agro Ambassadors will also be visiting and promoting agricultural events within their parishes. This is in addition to establishing one sustainable school garden in each parish, among other things.
As the global community marks International Women’s Day 2023 on March 8, under the theme ‘Embrace Equity,’ Ms. Ellington is encouraging more young women to participate in the sector.
“When we speak about embracing equity, we want young females to understand that agriculture is not for males alone. Your creativity, your innovativeness, your talent is needed in the sector, and it is valued just as much and we have to show the world that women are strong and women are capable,” she elaborates.
“When I just started doing agriculture, a lot of persons were skeptical and said ‘you really want to leave school to become a farmer?’… Agriculture was a male-dominated sector, and we tend to think that because agriculture requires this great strength, females are not competent,” she notes further.
Ms. Ellington says that persons have commonly questioned why a ‘Farm King’ competition is not held, considering the yearly farm queen contest.
“The farm queen competition is solely for the purpose of getting females to have the recognition. It seeks to adorn female farmers, to make them the highlight in that evening segment of the Denbigh show, to show that our women are just as important and that they are powerful,” Ms. Ellington highlights.
She says she is confident that Jamaica has a knowledgeable, competent and passionate cadre of female farmers.
“As we say, we know how to rock the heels and the boots, so we are versatile. I most definitely believe that there should be equity in the sector because our input needs to be valued as well,” she continues.
For Ms. Ellington, the time has come for persons to disassociate agriculture with the image of tattered and torn clothes and strenuous labour, as the sector is now more dynamic and has incorporated technology and other modern elements.
Equally, the time has come to champion for women in the sector who are steadily blazing their own trail.
“Agriculture is for everybody, and females should be treated with the same respect as males… . We do have some bright and brilliant ideas to contribute to the sector,” Ms. Ellington adds.
By: Mickella Anderson
Release: JIS
Caribbean News
Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts celebrate a night of wins, and take home a total of 16 titles at the 32nd Annual World Travel Awards
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (October 6th, 2025) – CaribCon, the Caribbean conference celebrating culture, innovation, and creativity, will welcome some of the region’s most influential voices to its inaugural edition in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The event, set to be a dynamic gathering of thought leaders and cultural icons, will feature impactful panel discussions, inspiring and intimate fireside chats and a flow of knowledge from some of the Caribbean’s brightest and best in the creative sector.
Elizabeth “Lady” Montano
Jamaica’s own Dr. Terri-Karelle Johnson, celebrated communications specialist, media personality, and global keynote speaker, will headline CaribCon as the official keynote speaker. Known for her ability to connect authentically and inspire audiences worldwide, Dr. Reid will share her insights on Caribbean identity, storytelling, and the power of representation in shaping global narratives. Another highlight of CaribCon will be the presence of Elizabeth “Lady” Montano, mother and former manager of soca superstar Machel Montano. Lady will launch her award-winning book, King of Soca, in which she is positioned as the ultimate insider, chronicling the evolution of one of the Caribbean’s most iconic entertainers. She will also share her invaluable experiences on nurturing talent, building a brand, and sustaining longevity in the competitive music industry in an intimate fireside chat. Adding further star power to the event is Simon Baptiste, CEO of Question Mark Entertainment, co-founder of ODOS, a global collective network spanning over 1000 professionals in 35 countries, film director, talent manager and creative strategist. Baptiste will bring his expertise to conversations on shaping the region’s creative sector and talent.
Simon Baptiste
“CaribCon is where the Caribbean’s voices, ideas, and creativity converge,” says Omega Simmons, founder of CaribCon and CEO of SOS Media. “Having leaders like Terri Karelle, Lady Montano, and Simon Baptiste share their stories and expertise truly embodies the spirit of this event. Their presence reinforces the power of Caribbean culture to inspire and influence on the world stage.” CaribCon will take place at the Shore Club in Providenciales, the Turks and Caicos Islands, from October 23rd to 26th. Attendees can look forward to networking opportunities, panel discussions, and meaningful dialogue to foster an ecosystem that develops the region’s creative sector and propels it onto the global stage.
Sponsors are:
Signature Experience Partners: Ministry of Tourism, Experience Turks and Caicos, and The Shore Club.
Other sponsors: PPID, Invest TCI, InterCaribbean Airways, Subtronic Sounds, Spotlight Communications.
Hotel partners: Ocean Club Resorts, Waterloo Hotel Management, The Somerset on Grace Bay and Ports of Call Resort.
For more information, tickets, and updates, visit www.caribcon.co or follow @caribconhq on all social media platforms.
For more information please email: contact@caribcon.co
-
TCI News4 days agoTurks and Caicos Islands Reaffirms Status as Premier Beach and Romance Destination at World Travel Awards
-
Bahamas News2 days agoNassau Cruise Port Marks Sixth Anniversary with Exciting New Additions for Visitors and The community
-
TCI News8 hours agoVisitTCI and Potcake Place Highlight Growing Homeless Dog Crisis
-
Caribbean News2 days agoSandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts celebrate a night of wins, and take home a total of 16 titles at the 32nd Annual World Travel Awards
-
Caribbean News4 days agoCaribbean Powerhouses to Inspire at CaribCon in the Turks and Caicos Islands