Students reap benefits of Agriculture Open Day
– “They will become more knowledgeable and have more practical exposure to some of the things that they might be hearing or reading about” – Dr. Homenauth
DPI, Guyana, Friday, October 19, 2018
Several students were today exposed to the practical aspects of agriculture as part of a tour of various government agricultural institutions.
The students visited the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station (SSAS).
Joschen Camacho, a student from Queen’s College, said: “The main thing I took away was that there were coconut byproducts that could be used for many things. It can be used to enhance the growth of plants and even make cement and that was really cool to me”.
Areefa Emambaccus of Berbice High School said: “I think this event is very helpful to persons who want to do a major in agricultural science. People who want to plant crops like the farmers, it is very helpful. It shows different aspects, you collect brochures and you can learn more on the subject.”
Fifth form student of the Canje Secondary School, Sheneeza Jadunandan said she got a major boost for the upcoming Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. The young lady explained that “at NAREI I learnt a skill – budding and grafting – and it could benefit me as a CSEC student preparing to write CSEC a couple months from now”.
Demelza Nicholas, from the Guyana School of Agriculture, said: “It is very important because at this point in time agriculture is one of the most viable economic businesses to get into because people will need food.”
Agricultural student of the University of Guyana, Malika Russel, said the open day activity gave her a first-hand experience of what she is being taught in the classroom: “At the university what we learn in the classroom, we are able to see it happening in the wider scope and I believe that persons that are interested in joining the agriculture field, they would be able to see what careers and what path they could pursue.”
Trishanna Parks, a teacher from Berbice High School, said: “It lets them know that agriculture is much more than farming and I also like the banner where the students can see all the different career fields that they can get into so that they would not believe that agriculture is just a limited scope but it is broader and I like that the plants were on sale at a very low cost so they can actually get into the practice of agriculture.”
Adding to their experiences, a teacher from Canje Secondary School, Carl Ramsammy explained, “this is where they get first-hand information because young people especially have this idea that agriculture is all about mud and water. So, when they come and they see other aspects of agriculture, it motivates them.”
Expressing his satisfaction to see young people engaged in the Open Day Exhibition, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NAREI, Dr. Oudho Homenauth, said that he was happy to see young people engaged in the open day exhibition and asking questions: “That is where it all starts to get them educated in terms of the new technologies that are available and see agriculture in a different perspective… They will become more knowledgeable and have more practical exposure to some of the things that they might be hearing or reading about.”
Dr. Homenauth said that it also enlightens the students on the various careers available in the sector since many are of the view that it is all about digging the soil and planting.
The activity, which is an annual event, was held in observance of Agricultural Month 2018 being observed under the theme Shaping Agriculture for a Green Economy.”
Isaiah Braithwaite
Images: Anil Seelall