Message from the Principal: The region needs agriculture and science
 Earlier this month a symbolic ceremony to launch the Faculty of Food and Agriculture and the Faculty of Science and Technology as two separate entities was held at the St. Augustine Campus. Rebuilding St. Augustine’s focus and capacity in agriculture when food security and nutrition are so vital to the well-being of our country and region, was an imperative, as was the need to bring science, technology and its applications closer together to remain relevant and competitive in today’s world.
The launch was truly a special celebration, because when those Faculties came into being in 2012, together with the Faculty of Law, which was officially launched this April, it meant that this Campus now has all seven of the Faculties in the UWI family located right here.
We were very pleased to have the former President of Guyana, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, agree to deliver the feature address, because he is considered a champion of both agricultural and scientific and technological issues. The Jagdeo Initiative preaches sustainable agricultural development, and he is also globally recognized for his leadership on environmental issues. His Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation mechanism, commonly known as REDD, are now held up as a model for countries everywhere, of how the battle against deforestation can be waged and won. He is also passionate about the cause of alternative energy in Guyana – hydro power especially.
We are also keen on pursuing innovative ways to feed and sustain our region, and recently we had a technical team here from China Agricultural University (the most respected university in agriculture and nutritional sciences in China), and we are partnering with them to create an Agriculture Innovation Park, at Orange Grove which we are confident, will re-engineer the way our country and region grow and produce food. We intend to demonstrate through the maximization of the use of technology, how productivity and efficiency can be improved dramatically.
I firmly believe that agriculture, science and technology are at the crossroads and it is only with a clear focus and dedicated resources to support teaching, research and its application, can we steer them in the right direction, producing future leaders for our societies and knowledge to drive our innovation and ability to keep pace with a dramatically changing world.
EDITORIAL TEAM
Campus Principal: Professor Clement Sankat
Director of Marketing and Communications: Mrs. Dawn-Marie De
Four-Gill
Editor: Ms Vaneisa Baksh [vaneisa.baksh@sta.uwi.edu]
Contact us:
The UWI Marketing and Communications Office
Tel: (868) 662-2002 exts. 82013, 83997
Email: uwitoday@sta.uwi.edu
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