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The Belize College of Agriculture was a casualty of the University of Belize amalgamation in 2000. Sure the University of Belize still offered an associate’s degree in agriculture but it was more theory than practice and enrolment and interest in the program diminished. But there is renewed interest because UB is now offering an associates degree in sustainable agriculture. Classes began at the end of August but there was a grand launch today at the Central Farm Campus and 7NEWS was there. Keith Swift reports on how what’s happening at Central Farm will affect what’s on your table for dinner.

Miguel Rodriguez, Agriculture Student
“From I was small I just wanted to have a career in agriculture.”

And that’s why 19 year old Miguel Rodriquez is a student at UB’s Central Farm campus. He and 26 year old David Borland are two of the 18 students enrolled in UB’s new sustainable agriculture program.

David Borland, Agriculture Student
“When I first signed up for the program it was because I was so amazed by what agriculture offers. I had a choice between Technical and here and I chose here and I am glad that I chose this program.”

Keith Swift,
What do you like about agriculture?

David Borland,
“Basically if you are the right farmer you won’t need anything else, you won’t need to go to the shop and buy rice and beans and different products like that and basically being in the farm has shown me that this is what I want.”

The program’s chair is Carol August. She says instead of precision farming – students are learning sustainable farming which is where rotary composting and agro-forestry come in.

Carol August, Chair of Sustainable Agriculture Program
“The focus is on doing practices that are more in tune with natural processes. We’re doing a lot of composting, we’re doing planting of different varieties or different species of plants. In the introduction you heard me talking about having crop rotation in terms of time and space. Here we’re planting several different specie side by side so you have intercropping and then in intercropping we’re using plants that benefit one another. We’re doing it on a smaller piece of land and the crops are planted more close together but because we such a rich soil, the plants will be able to sustain themselves and produce quality material on this land.”

Sustainable is the operative word. That is because without sustainable practices, there won’t be a future in agriculture.

Carol August,
“It will reduce our waste problem because of looking for wherever we’re going to dump all our degradable waste, we can put it into composting and we can recycle it. We won’t have to be using a lot of poisonous pesticides that we use because we can be using natural systems in which we do not kill off the beneficials but we use them to kill off the detrimentals.”

In fact CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture Gabino Canto who signed a memorandum of understanding this morning with UB President Santos Mahung says Belize’s food security depends on these future farmers.

Gabino Canto, CEO - Ministry of Agriculture
“If we can use what we produce in the country then we would be better off. For food security reasons there are times when we need to buy certain inputs that we cannot get because other countries buy it from the source. If we can produce seeds for instance, corn seeds, the beans seeds, and also produce our own animals, do breeding using artificial insemination to promote quality in meat and also productivity in milk production we will be ahead of the game.”

Miguel and David say they already ahead of their game.

Keith Swift,
Wouldn’t you prefer being in an AC office than being out in the field?

David Borland,
“No offense but people in office, personally I think that they are lazy people. I prefer being out here in the field getting my hands dirty.”

Keith Swift,
Five years from now, where will we find you?

David Borland,
“Hopefully five years from now I want to be sitting in my backyard looking at my farm with my animals and my fruits and vegetables.”

Keith Swift,
So you prefer being on a ranch than in an office in front of a computer?

Miguel Rodriguez,
“Yes sir, the office sometimes it is good but it doesn’t really bring out you. When you’re out here in the ranch it helps you exercise both body and mind.”

And that’s what attracted 18 year old Ronald Godinez who is still in fourth form at Western Christian Academy but plans to enrol.

Ronald Godinez, Interested in Agriculture
“I would like to do it because some day sooner or later I will have my family and I will need to grow my products to sustain myself an my whole family.”

And maybe an entire country. Reporting for 7NEWS, Keith Swift.

The associates degree program runs for two years. The students are currently producing cabbage, green pepper, honey, and cattle. They plan to expand and include banana, sugarcane, pineapple, papaya, and orchids.