KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Northern Caribbean University (NCU) will be offering degree and diploma programmes in agriculture starting August 2016.

The announcement was made by Dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences at NCU, Dr Vincent Wright, during his address at the Farm Up Jamaica Limited (FUJL) press briefing held at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries’ Old Hope Road headquarters on July 19.

Wright said the programmes will include bachelor’s degrees in general agriculture, agronomy, and agri-business associate degree in agriculture, and a diploma in tropical agriculture.

He noted that the university’s decision to offer the advanced training was based on “years of requests” from farmers, students and other persons across central Jamaica.

Wright said there will be strong focus on the use of technology to boost productivity.

“There is a very strong Computer and Information Science Department at NCU and we will be using our technology programmes during teaching. Students will be able to enter information such as the amount of fertiliser, soil type, climatic conditions and cost benefit analysis formulas to enhance the outcomes,” he explained.

He said the hope is that students will be able to earn from the farms that will be set up as part of the courses.

“We are hoping that we will be able to provide jobs for students…through the planting and reaping of produce from the farms,” he said.

Farm Up Jamaica is a non-profit project established by the Jamaican Diaspora, to assist local farmers with cultivating organic produce.

The objective is to increase the country’s food exports while reducing the importation of inorganic and genetically modified (GMO) foods.