Administrator of the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) Essequibo Campus, Horatio Ramdass is urging more youths from Region Two to pursue agricultural studies. Ramdass said that the Essequibo branch caters for students desirous of furthering studies in the agricultural field.
“We would like to encourage more youths to come on board, to get them educated a little more in agriculture because you see Region Two is more of an agricultural – based region and if these young ones, these young people are interested in agriculture, they can get themselves a bit more equipped with the increase in technology,” Ramdass noted.
Horatio Ramdass, Administrator, Guyana School of Agriculture, Essequibo Campus
Ramdass was at the time briefing the Government Information Agency (GINA) on the educational institute’s programmes. Since the branch’s establishment in 2008 more than 200 students have graduated under the two programmes offered by the institute; the Certificate in Forestry, which is a one-year programme and the Diploma in Agriculture, a two-year programme.
Moreover, the facility offers practical agro-processing activity, teaching students to also manage agricultural related businesses.
“Guyana School of Agriculture basically trains young people in the field of agriculture, and as well, we have a processing facility where these products are now being processed there and on sale for consumption. It’s in the local supermarkets; for sale at the Guyana Shop in Robb Street and some of the supermarkets right here in Region Two,” Ramdass highlighted.
The practical courses allow students to transform local agricultural produce into value added products such as plantain flour, all-purpose sauce, bar-b-que sauce, salted fish, candied papaya, pepper sauce, green seasoning and processed mangoes among other items.
The GSA administrator is hopeful that expansion in the programmes offered by the GSA, Essequibo branch will encourage more youths to venture into agricultural related studies. Ramdass further noted that agriculture is one of the most sustainable foundations for businesses in Guyana.
