About The Department of Agriculture
Faculty of Agriculture & Forestry
The Department of Agriculture aims to produce highly trained professionals through teaching, research and service to cater for the development of agriculture to meet national and regional needs. Established in 1977, the Faculty offered a general programme leading to the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Agriculture. In 1996, The Faculty offered the options in Agriculture: Crop Sciences, Soil Sciences and Animal Sciences. In 2015, the Department revised its curriculum in keeping with the changing demands to meet contemporary needs and now offers majors in three areas: Agronomy, Animal Sciences and Fishery, Aquaculture and Aquaponics. It offers for the first time the MSc in Agro-technology and Business in 2017. In addition, the Faculty hopes to offer in the said year, the BSc option in Food Science and Technology.
To qualify for admission students must have at least 5 CXC passes including 2 science subjects or a Diploma from the Guyana School of Agriculture or similar qualification from other recognized institution or a trained teacher's certificate with a specialization in Science and a minimum of 3 subjects at CSEC inclusive of Mathematics and a Science subject or the Associate of Science from the University of Guyana or equivalent. Consideration is given to mature students who may have recent relevant experience and pass the University of Guyana Entrance Examination (UGEE).
Students of the Degree Programme get exposure and hands-on experience in large scale agricultural production systems through exciting field tours. These exercises form an integral part of training, serve to nurture collaboration with other stakeholders from the sector of agriculture within the country and students established links through which they can foster and cement lifelong bonds of friendship among staff and students. Students obtain training in theoretical work, laboratory practical and practical field work and in conjunction with staff, conduct a number of research activities. Presently, the faculty has added a new biotechnology lab to serve the need of the students and courses in Biotechnology. In 2004, the Faculty acquired almost 5 acres of land which has been put in use as a research plot, equipped with an orchard, fish pond, bins for vegetable production and a shade house. This expansion is ongoing and in 2017, the Department will endeavor to fully commercialize this Centre.
The agricultural programme has close links with both local and international agencies such as the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development (CARDI), Inter–America Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), Peoples Friendship University of Russia (PFUR), National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Livestock Development Agency (GLDA), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC), University of Dominica ISA, Guyana School of Agriculture and the St. Stanislaus College Farm. These linkages have allowed the Faculty to advance its programme and improve its delivery.
The Department of Agriculture plays a key role in the Guyana’s developmental thrust and drive for self-sufficiency. Its graduates are well grounded to fill key positions in private and public enterprises at both middle and senior management levels. Graduates also function at the sub-professional level in the local forestry sector. Graduates of this Faculty have one of the widest arrays of career opportunities available. These include; Entomology, Plant and Animal Pathology, Plant and Animal Quarantine, Extension, Plant and Animal Breeding, Nutrition, the field of Genetics, Ecology, Soil Chemistry, Soil Physics, Economics, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Animal Production, Seed Technology, Microbiology, Forestry, and Forestry Conservation, Tourism, Botany, Zoology, Integrated Pest Management, Crop protection, Farmer, Food processing, Trading, Agricultural policy, Research, among others.
Outstanding graduates from the Faculty have advanced to post-graduate studies in many renowned Universities, performing with distinction. Many of these high caliber men and women have obtained employment as lecturers at the University of Guyana and as managers and research scientists both locally and internationally. Soon, the Faculty will offer its own post-graduate studies in Agriculture.