THE Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) held its annual Food Science, Technology, and Agribusiness Management Exhibition on Monday, showcasing the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of its Diploma in Agriculture Year Two students. The exhibition, hosted at the GSA’s auditorium on Agriculture Road, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, provided a platform for students to present their value-added agricultural products and business concepts.
Five student groups—Pure Essence, Harvest Flavours Cooperation, K.N.A.S, Flavorful Relics, and Tropical Harvest—spent 10 weeks developing unique food products derived from locally grown ingredients. Each group selected a primary ingredient and created multiple, innovative products from it, demonstrating their creativity, technical skills, and understanding of agribusiness.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCT SHOWCASES
Pure Essence
This group transformed bananas into banana vinegar and smoothie powder. Additionally, they created pineapple jam and jelly, pumpkin jam, paprika soft cheese, an all-purpose sauce, and salted tilapia. They began selling their products on-site, expressing confidence that their locally made goods will make a significant impact on the domestic market.

Harvest Flavours Cooperation
Focusing on sweet potatoes grown at the GSA, this group developed a sweet potato pie crust, sweet potato pie, honey nut mix granola bars, and a sweet potato pancake mix. Their sugar-free sweet potato pie was praised as a flavourful and healthy snack option.

K.N.A.S Group
K.N.A.S used citrus to produce a probiotic juice designed to promote gut health and weight loss. They also utilised cassava to develop a ready-made pastry dough, barbecue sauce, soft cheese and an all-purpose sauce. Their probiotic juice, infused with lemon, lime, and honey sourced from GSA hives, was well received.

Flavorful Relics
This group captivated attendees with their delicious bilimbi chutney, which enhances any dish with its unique flavour. Their other creations included bilimbi pickle, bilimbi fruit preserve for cakes, all-purpose sauce, papaya jam, and candied pumpkin. According to group member Tahakur Nandran, their marketing strategy involves first distributing products at the community level before expanding to supermarkets nationwide. They also plan to leverage social media for promotion.
Tropical Harvest
Using locally grown fruits such as mango, soursop, ginger, cherry, mango, coconut, and cashew, this group developed three different flavours of fruit butters. Group representative Hannah Cush highlighted that their sugar-free products quickly sold out at the exhibition because of their unique taste. Retailing between $1,000 and $1,600, these butters will eventually be available in local markets.

VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURE
GSA Chief Executive Officer, Gavindra Ramnarain, emphasised the importance of exposing students to agro-processing. He noted that while many students come from agricultural backgrounds, they often lack knowledge on how to add value to their produce, rather than simply selling raw products to middlemen.
“As an agro-processor, when sweet potatoes are in abundance, students can buy and preserve them to create different products,” Ramnarain explained. He highlighted the successful use of GSA-produced milk in fruit-flavored butters, demonstrating how students can turn raw ingredients into marketable goods.
Ramnarain also praised the students for developing healthy snacks, juices, and smoothies, which cater to health-conscious consumers and busy individuals. He encouraged students to view their projects as the foundation for future small businesses.

HANDS-ON LEARNING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Assistant Manager and Lecturer, Stacia McDonald, explained that the exhibition integrates agribusiness management with food science and technology. Over a three-month period, students learned how to add value to local fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Their challenge was to develop at least two products using locally grown ingredients such as bananas, bilimbi, sweet potatoes, cow’s milk, and cassava.
McDonald emphasised that the exhibition serves as an opportunity for students to launch their own businesses, as GSA encourages them to retain full ownership of their innovative ideas. Many students have already registered their businesses, setting the stage for their entry into the local and potentially international agro-processing markets.
The event underscored GSA’s commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture, equipping students with the skills and experience needed to transform local raw materials into high-value products. With growing interest in sustainable and health-conscious food options, these young agro-processors are poised to make a lasting impact on Guyana’s agricultural and food industry.