4-h - positive youth development and volunteerism

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of the Virgin Islands $3,540,462 on October 1, 2025, under the Smith-Lever Extension Funding program (CFDA 10.511) to deliver cooperative extension activities across multiple community domains in the U.S. Virgin Islands through September 30, 2030.

The University of the Virgin Islands, through its Office of Sponsored Programs, will operate 4-H positive youth development and volunteerism programming focused on small livestock, distance learning, and sustainable agriculture. The institution will provide community-based nutrition and lifestyle education addressing childhood obesity prevention and coordinate food safety education and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) with culturally sensitive resources for home food handling and family nutrition guidance. Computer and technology training will cover introductory applications including Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email, and internet usage, along with smartphone and tablet workshops on mobile device email and applications. The recipient will offer workshops, short courses, and activities in marketable skills and workforce preparation for limited-resource residents focused on career exploration, entrepreneurship, and employment readiness. Natural resource and environmental protection activities will promote sustainable watershed management and conservation practices to support tourism and ecotourism development. The sustainable agriculture program will educate farmers on environmentally responsible and economically viable agricultural practices, including evaluation of cover crops for livestock grazing operations.

This is a formula grant to a 1862 land-grant institution under the joint cooperative extension program.

Staff will explore potential new volunteer audiences. 4-h will create special interest programming focused on small livestock, distance learning and sustainable agriculture. A healthy, well-nourished population program provides community-based nutrition and lifestyle education to all residents. The program also focuses attention on the importance of prevention of childhood obesity. Computer training and technology training will focus on usage of relevant technologies including introductory computer classes that begin with microsoft windows, microsoft word, excel and powerpoint, and e-mail/internet usage. The smartphone and tablet workshops will teach how to create and use email accounts and various apps on mobile devices. Food safety education and efnep program will focus attention on the importance of safe food handling and preparation in home kitchens; as well as educating families about basic nutrition and behavior change practices. The program will address and develop culturally sensitive food safety educational products and resources to be made available to clientele. Marketable skills for limited resource residents program will offer workshops, short courses and activities that provide participants with the opportunity to explore career options, entrepreneurship, and workforce preparation. Protecting the VI natural resources and environment activities will encourage the adoption of sustainable natural resource and watershed management practices to preserve the environmental and natural resources base, landscapes, conserve cultural and natural history resources in recreational areas, and stimulate/grow a vital tourism/ecotourism industry. Sustainable agriculture program will educate and encourage farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices that are environmentally responsible, economically viable, and enhance the overall wellbeing of the territory. Cover crops will be evaluated in both livestock grazing scenarios and in crop production. Production of fish and crops in aquaponic and/or hydroponic systems will be evaluated. Tropical horticulture involves CES urban gardening program to provide information, education, and technical advice to commercial growers, home gardeners, nonprofit organizations, public and private agencies, and residents about caring for and cultivating fruits and vegetables. New varieties of tropical fruits and vegetable crops will be evaluated for production potential. Water requirements and micro-irrigation practices will be evaluated. Tropical livestock production. Training on small livestock management systems and practices to enhance productivity under tropical conditions will be conducted. The program will continue incorporating hardier strains of forages that will withstand more intense grazing practices. Demonstrations and workshops will be conducted to assist producers in evaluating their management practices and determine how improvements can address their problems. Urban forestry. The terrestrial landscape of the virgin islands is changing rapidly. Because of its affiliation with the caribbean urban and community forestry program working group led by the USDA forest service at the international institute of tropical forestry, extension has better access to current science-based information about virgin islands/puerto rico native forests that can increase awareness of local urban forest resources, reduce the severity of the damage to our tree populations and improve our response and recovery processes.