From Bees to Biodiversity: Eco-Activist, Jahnai Caul, is Inspiring Others
By Jane Bakewell
Jahnai Caul is a Virgin Gorda native with quite a story. This 25-year-old Eco-warrior has packed more in his life than most folks twice his age. Growing up in what he describes as “natural living,” both his father and grandmother were dedicated farmers and much that appeared on his plate at the dinner table came from the yard.
“We always had string onions growing and I picked them by the bunch,” he told me.
“Hmm, I countered – string onions, do you mean onions that are strung together like garlic ropes?” I asked during our phone interview a bit confused. I soon learned that this moniker is a local name for what most know as scallions. Janai attributes this close-to-the-earth living for the inspiration for his future dream job. He recalled that it still impacts him today, when at his graduation from high school as a 17-year-old, he declared his aspiration to be the future Minister of Agriculture.
When Hurricane Irma devasted the territory in 2017, Jahnai was away in Jamaica studying agriculture at the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA). “This was a very hard time for me, I wanted to be back and help serve my country,” he emphasized.
After returning in 2018 Jahnai joined the BVI Tourist Board as an Environmental Officer. He coupled that with creating Community Service programs for the high schools on Tortola and Anegada.
Youth could fulfill their community service hours through coastal clean ups or environmental reforestation. During this time the young eco-warrior helped coordinate a program called “Seeds of Love.” The focus was to address the need for reforestation by replanting and restoring the vegetation ravaged by the largest hurricane in the BVI’s history. Over the course of the program over 3,000 coconut seed saplings were planted around the islands.
During this season, Jahnai partnered with another Eco-Pioneer, Julie Swartz of Green & Clean VI. Julie had started a recycling company on Virgin Gorda and even invested in an industrial glass crushing machine to utilize the glass as a concrete aggregate for various applications. Jahnai became the Director of Julie’s “Green Sprouts” initiative which concentrated on recycling, gardening and replanting mangroves.
Green Sprouts partnered with five schools in the 9th District including Virgin Gorda and Anegada. A major thrust of the program was the replanting of mangroves around the Gun Creek area of Virgin Gorda. During the year of 2021 to 2022 over 160 mangroves were planted involving the participation of close to 600 students.
The last three years Jahnai has worked diligently on his own entrepreneurial business ventures. His goal is to draw the younger generation into farming by showing it can be both profitable and “cool” to farm. His own company, Caul Green Agribusiness grows and markets various fruits such as mangoes, guavas and vegetables. He has also set up an online community called BVI Green Thumbs, a virtual networking group for farmers to connect and educate one another.
Along with this he has been a Beekeeper (Apiculture) since he was 17 years old and now has a private business called Humble Buzz Honey Works, from which he does direct sales. Entering a “Honey Show” in St Lucia with many islands in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) participating, he won First Prize for commercial honey based on his honey quality and branding.
“I feel I have been blessed with the ability to influence and inspire others,” Jahnai explained, and I want to use those talents to serve my community. In the back of my mind, I see myself entering the political realm at some stage.”
Perhaps, Minister of Agriculture is not far out of that picture. In the meantime, he will be stepping forward in July at the Annual VI Icons Awards show to add his already impressive career, the Award for “Emerging New Talent 2025.”
Follow Jahnai Caul on his Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/jahnai.caul
