Yesterday evening, a graduation ceremony was held at the UWI Open Campus where almost 50 farmers had completed a soil diagnostic training and development of a national soil plan.

The training, which was facilitated by Dr. Gaius Eudoxie, Senior Lecturer of Soil Science at the University of West Indies St. Augustine Campus and advocate for soil, was conducted by the Extension Staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Blue Economy from April 23-27, 2023.

Reginald Severin, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing, gave his remarks to the graduates and said that the collaboration with UWI is the beginning of the Ministry’s effort to take full responsibility for education in agriculture.

He emphasized the importance of analyzing the soil’s capacity and understanding how to take care of it properly, as it is connected to all sectors of agriculture. “So whatever we do, as it relates to our soil, is not only going to affect our agricultural output, but it’s also going to have a direct impact on our marine space- and our ability to have productive sectors over the Agricultural Sector.” (PS. Reginald Severin)

Each Extension Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture received a Palintest Water Analysis Test Kit, and each graduate farmer received a soil analysis tester.