Hydroponics has great potential in Guyana- First Lady
-Education Month competition launched
GINA, Georgetown, September 6, 2012 -- Source - GINA
The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture, today launched the fourth annual Secondary Schools’ Hydroponics Competition at Leonora Secondary School, West Coast Demerara.
The competition aims to foster early interest in activities which enhance food security, nutrition and health, as well as revitalise students’ interest in Agriculture Science and expose them to new and innovative technology.
First Lady, Mrs Deolatchmee Ramotar during her remarks at launch of Secondary Schools Hydrophonics competition, at the Leonora Secondary School
It is part of the Education month activities held under the theme ““Transforming the Nation through Inclusive Education”.
This year, 45 secondary schools from Regions 2, 4, 5, 6 and 10 will participate in the competition that begins on September 10 and which will be done in an enthusiastic and friendly manner.
First Lady, Mrs. Deolatchmee Ramotar, during her remarks to the students stated that she was extremely pleased to be associated with the initiative.
“I have always been attached to the land and to nature; I have an abiding law for agriculture and from my own experience I have found that gardening promotes inner peace and harmony,” she said.
She said that the competition can promote healthy habits and build character among students as it rekindles interest in agriculture in the school system.
Students and teachers at launch of the Secondary Schools Hydroponics competition at Leonora Secondary School
This activity coincides with that of the Garden of Children Initiative, which the First Lady launched on International Children’s Day this year at State House, Main Street.
Mrs Ramotar stated that competitions like this will expose children to a new farming technology. “Hydroponics has great potential in Guyana, it is not a new method; it has been around for a long time,” she said.
She lauded IICA and FAO for their roles in promoting hydroponics in agriculture in Guyana and expressed the hope that Secondary Schools will take full advantage of this endeavour.
FAO Representative, Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul stated that she was very impressed with the way the competition has been progressing since being introduced in 2006.
Dr. Fletcher-Paul said that this competition is just one component of a bigger food project entitled “Expansion of Hydroponics activities in Guyana” which FAO is funding in collaboration with IICA.
The sum of $2.2M has been budgeted for the project, $1.5M of which will be put up by FAO.
Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Representative Dr Lystra- Fletcher-Paul delivering address at launch of Hydrophonics competition
The Hydrophonics units which FAO will be financing will be established in two practical instruction centres in Georgetown, one on the East Coast Demerara, one at the St Ignatius Secondary School, Region Nine and another on the premises of the Blue Flame Women’s Group in Mabaruma, Region One.
She said that it is expected that at the end of this project there will be an increase in the number of teachers, students and extension officers trained in Hydroponics technology and, an increase in the number of students completing their practical requirements in Hydroponics for their CSEC curriculum.
The competition will be done in two phases, a training workshop for teachers and students, and the preparation and planting of the hydroponics gardens, after which these gardens will be evaluated fortnightly.
The competition is slated to run for six weeks.
Bygeval Multilateral School was declared winner of last year’s competition.