Regarded as one of the academy’s largest graduating classes, the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) hosted its 51st convocation ceremony last evening for 138 students. The venue was the school’s Plant Science Building,Fabian Delph Manchester City Jersey, at the school’s Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara campus.The graduates are from five certified programmesChairing the event was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture,Shinji Kagawa Dortmund Jersey, George Jervis, with featured speeches from Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder and Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam.During his keynote address, Minister Holder recognised the school’s growing capabilities in training and education – as more and more students enrol to the GSA – as a positive course for the institution.Since its establishment the school has produced over 3,257 graduates in six agricultural-based programmes.Holder told the gathering that rural communities will have to face the demands of an urbanised world.“Today we live in a world of rapid transformation,Quillan Roberts Toronto Jersey,” said the Agriculture Minister, which is why he posited that those in the agricultural sector will have to play a more vital role in securing the country’s food security.Moving forward, Holder said that the GSA must now focus on transforming itself with regard to technology, capacity building,Sergio Romero Argentina Jersey, hinterland development and updating the curriculum.In terms of a growing global population in the midst of climate change, the Minister also pointed out that agriculture training must now centre on “a sustainable low carbon trajectory”.Of note, was that convocation ceremony not only had Guyanese students graduating, but a number of students from Barbados, Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis.During his charge to the graduates, the Chief Education Officer noted the many youthful faces that accepted various academic awards and were a part of the graduating 2015 class from both the Mon Repos and Essequibo campuses.Sam said that the future of agriculture in Guyana is now in their hands, and the achievements during their time at the institution are only “a stepping stone in a life full of lessons”.The graduating class of 2015,Sidney Jones Jersey, said the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the GSA, is ideally poised to take advantage of the nation’s current era of hope and promise.“I first charge you to develop a keen sense of who you are,” Sam said,David Ospina Arsenal Jersey UK, as he regarded the graduates as critical players in the nation’s developmental process, given their very specialised and technical skills in the area of agriculture.Some of those highly skilled graduates honoured at the ceremony were awardees of the Chief Executive Officer’s Prize (Quacey Cort) and the prestigious Chairman’s Prize – Sherifa Valenzuela of the Essequibo campus.