Eighty-six students have graduated from the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) with diplomas and certificates in Agriculture, Animal Health, Veterinary Public Health, Forestry and Agro-processing. The recent graduation ceremony at the Plant Science Building, GSA, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara coincided with the 60th anniversary of the founding of GSA.
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, who attended the graduation ceremony, congratulated the new graduates on their milestone and described them as the future on whom the agriculture sector rests. He pronounced the young graduates as the kind of human resource the country needs: young men and women who possess an interest in agriculture and now enjoy the skills to improve the sector.
“Congratulations to you on your academic achievement in the field of agriculture… Your graduation today places you on the cusp of a pivotal junction to our nation’s transformation,” Mustapha told the graduates. “Apart from you being the generation that will carry on all that we have started, the agriculture sector needs people like you who will rise to the challenge to expand, diversify and modernize our resilient and competitive agriculture sector. You are the future, Guyana’s future rests on the agriculture sector. Therefore, the opportunities that lie ahead are limitless. But it is… the choices that you make on how to capitalize with these important opportunities and possibilities that will make you emerge successful.”
He added that, “… in Guyana, the time is right for those who are willing to make the most of the opportunities, go forth… It is your time, today is your time to shine. You are still young in your career, there is much more to be done, some of you may go on to the University of Guyana while some may choose another avenue. Whatever you decide, you must know success will be yours… You must work hard and diligently. You need the right attitude and values if you are to test the limits of your ability. Dedicate your energies towards your goals and you will get through this. If you fail, keep going, keep going, failure is a part of success… have the courage to continue – that is all that matters. As you walk this academic journey, I urge you to also make positive impacts in your community and in the lives of others. Any contribution will be instrumental in shaping Guyana’s future. Agricultural development is a crucial aspect of the economy of Guyana, so promote and support this development through education and training of young men and women interested in the agriculture career as GSA continues its mission.
“The GSA has been with us for the last 60 years. This is a marvelous achievement as we celebrate 60 years in operation… Today our country is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and Guyana continues to remain resilient despite the global economic tension. Additionally, it is expected that our non-oil economy, particularly the agriculture sector, will also see strong economic growth in 2023. Last year, especially the agriculture sector, would have grown by 12% in our country. The President has placed significant emphasis and resources to develop our agri-food system to ensure food security… We are very fortunate in Guyana, with the support we are getting from the central Government, we have seen over the last three years, [our] budgetary allocations have increased by 150%. We are able to produce more food. Today, we are producing 60% of the food we are consuming and as a government, we are not satisfied with that. We need the skills of men and women like you, to improve the sector. Today, we are seeing more and more interest in the agriculture sector… We have seen young people like you who thought agriculture was a job for people that never went to school… This is very good for us, for the future of our country because today, with Guyana’s leadership in Caricom to reduce the [food] import bill by 25% by 2025, your skills, your expertise and Guyana’s contribution will be valid.”
He added that the government will explore other ways to encourage more young people to consider agriculture as a promising and fulfilling career path.
Meanwhile, Chairman of GSA’s Board of Governors Dhaneshwar Deonarine said that although Guyana’s current development is credited to oil and gas, the emphasis on agriculture is very visible. “One of the ways we can continue to fuel that sector is to ensure that we supply it with the necessary human resource capital. And that is why the government continues to invest heavily in scholarships and students pursuing agriculture, the Guyana School of Agriculture is the premier institution for agriculture studies. So, it is obvious that the government is continuing to ensure that the school is not at a deficit when it comes to human resources for the agriculture sector,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of the GSA Gavindra Ramnarain said that GSA promotes development and sustainability in agriculture and forestry, and technological advancement. He added, “Our vision is to make the institution become one of the four premier regional institutions given the importance of agriculture and forestry in the Caribbean. Also, [to equip students] in the fields of technical, managerial and entrepreneurial competencies.” (Subhana Shiwmangal)
