Centre of Excellence planned for Guyana School of Agriculture- Mustapha

A new Center of Excellence aimed at strengthening agricultural education and practical training for farmers will be established at the Guyana School of Agriculture.

“We are also working very closely at the Guyana School of Agriculture to build a Centre of Excellence where we will have more subjects on agriculture, where we will have more practical subjects being taught to farmers so that we can integrate farmers into our programme,” Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, said on Wednesday.

Speaking at an event, Mustapha said the initiative seeks to provide farmers with hands-on experience and access to modern farming techniques, ensuring they can apply the skills directly on their farms.

By integrating farmers into the GSA’s programmes, the Centre is expected to foster innovation, boost productivity, and support sustainable agricultural development across the country.

The GSA, which has been at the forefront of agricultural education for decades, offers training in crop cultivation, livestock management, agribusiness, and sustainable farming methods.

There have been talks about this facility since 2023.

At the opening of the 2023 Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali

highlighted that the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Government of Guyana are partnering to create a new “centre of excellence” for young people in Guyana and across the region.

That centre will see the Guyana School of Agriculture on the East Coast of Demerara transformed into a more modern facility. There will also be an increased focus on entrepreneurial studies for students at this school, too.