Scores of students graduated from the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) on Tuesday and the school’s principal, Gavindra Ramnarain highlighted innovative new food products developed during their studies.
Among these creations were rice milk, coconut jelly ice-cream, coconut tortillas and chunky pineapple popsicles.
“Students developed and displayed a number of products that include…protein bars and powders, beef jerky, assorted fruit leathers [and] cheese-filled sweet potatoes and cassava bread,” Ramnarain revealed.
Students also introduced a bread-making project aimed at reducing the import of wheat flour. Three different types of breads were created using three non-traditional flours: – rice, cassava, and sweet potato breads.
Ramnarain also spoke about how the school’s livestock and crops farm, play key roles in supporting the school’s economy.
“The schools production farms forms part of skills training activities that supplement the classroom. The livestock farm continues to generate a significant portion of the income generated by the school, milk produced by the diary adequately supply the need of the school’s cafeteria [and] the swine unit continues to play a critical role in revitalizing the local swine industry,” the principal stated.
The layers and broilers farm also satisfied all of the school’s internal needs of eggs and sustain external markets. Additionally, the crop farm supplies a wide variety of fruits and vegetables for the school’s cafeteria and agro processing unit
The school has also been growing a number of fruits and vegetables not commonly grown in Guyana such as cauliflower and broccoli.
Students have also benefited from training in hydroponics and aquaponics.
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha applauded the graduates for embarking on careers in agriculture, emphasising the government’s goal for a resilient, technologically advanced sector that reduces the nation’s food import bill.
“Agriculture is changing and changing rapidly, we are embracing new technologies, we are going into new areas of production and over the last few years, that you were at the GSA we have tailored the curriculum so that you can be trained in the new way that we want agriculture to be done in our country,” Mustapha said.
Aspiring food scientist, Akeem Williams, graduated with a diploma in Agriculture with higher credit from the Guyana School of Agriculture on Tuesday. He is also the recipient of the Outstanding Farm Performance award. Akeem told the News Room that his passion for agriculture stems from his upbringing in a food-centric family.
“We are living in a day and age where artificial intelligence is seeming to take over but I must computers cannot replace agriculturists, we must grow food, we must eat so that is why I am encouraging this new generation to listen, focus on agriculture because computers cannot feed the nation,” Akeem said.
He is a first-year student at the University of Guyana pursuing a degree in agriculture.
“I will never give up on agriculture my future aspiration is to become a food scientist.
“I wanted to become a food scientist whereby I would help Guyana to ensure that it provides food that is more safe and wholesome for consumption by the Guyanese populace. I think by eating food that is safe and wholesome it helps you to develop more when it comes to mentally, physically and emotionally.”
Shelby Williams, another graduate, achieved a distinction in her diploma in Animal Health and Veterinary Public Health. She received accolades for Best Performance in Surgery, Animal Nutrition, Pharmacology, and was named Best Overall Performer in the Animal Health course.
Her outstanding achievements also earned her the prestigious Gold Medal and Matron’s Prize. The Gold Medal is awarded for excellence in academics, practical skills, and community service.
Shelby shared her passion for agriculture with the News Room and encouraged young people to explore the field, noting its important role in food security.
“I think that young people should definitely come into the agriculture field because one of the main things human needs is food to eat and agriculture provides that.
“In the veterinary field there is a lot of zoonotic diseases and the veterinary field people are there help to prevent not only animal diseases but diseases that affects animals that also transfers to humans,” Shelby said.