A challenge has been thrown out to Barbadian youth, to cultivate a passion for agriculture.
This appeal came yesterday, as Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Dr. Lennox Chandler addressed the launch of The Sir Clifford Husbands Agricultural Challenge at Petrea Gardens, St. James.
Dr. Chandler, who spoke on behalf of the Minister, noted that young people must be encouraged to accept and appreciate farming and food production as viable career choices.
Speaking before an audience that included Governor General, Sir Elliott Belgrave; former Governor General, Sir Clifford Husbands; and Madame Justice Sandra Mason, the DPS said: ???This initiative by Sir Clifford which targets students at the level of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate is indeed a step in the right direction.???
Dr. Chandler also pointed out that like Sir Clifford, his Ministry has always had a keen interest and played a pivotal role in the engagement of the Youth in Agriculture programme, which the former Governor General patronised.
He said this was evidenced by our over fifty years of support for the Barbados 4-H movement, a movement which was established as a collaborative effort between the Ministries of Agriculture and Education.
Meanwhile, Sir Clifford stressed his love for agriculture and told those gathered that he believed the youth must be major contributors to the sector???s further development.
The Challenge will provide Secondary school students pursuing the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Agriculture Syllabus with the opportunity to show how science and technology, engineering and math can be applied to agriculture in creative ways.
The former Governor General is an avid supporter of the Barbados Branch of The Royal Commonwealth Society and its youth programmes.
Therefore the Branch, in his honour and in support of his vision of the youth in agriculture, conceptualised this competition in which the participants will be competing for the Sir Clifford Husbands Agricultural Challenge Shield.
theresa.blackman@barbados.gov.bb