STUDENTS of four secondary schools in Region Five gained practical experience in agro-processing after accessing the Fort Wellington Agro-Processing Facility (FWAPF) to transform locally grown sweet peppers into a range of value-added products as part of the Ministry of Education’s inaugural Secondary Sector TVET Agricultural Science Student-led Value Addition Symposium 2026.
The symposium, held at Royal Mall under the theme, “From Farm to Market: Students Adding Value to Agriculture”, brought together secondary school students from across Guyana to showcase their agricultural skills, creativity and entrepreneurial potential.
Among the participating schools, Mahaicony Secondary secured third place, while Bushlot Secondary placed fourth in the competition.

With support from the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), the four Region Five schools utilised the Fort Wellington facility to produce several sweet pepper-based products, including pepper sauce, pepper jelly, pepper flakes, pepper powder, pepper wine, pepper pickles, pepper achar and pepper seasoning.
The initiative provided students with practical exposure to the agro-processing industry, allowing them to experience the various stages of production, from sourcing raw agricultural materials and processing them into flakes and powders to packaging and labelling finished products for the marketplace.
The hands-on exercise also introduced the students to commercial agro-processing techniques employed by established local businesses, including D&S Products, Exotic Bites, Nature’s Secret and Lally’s.
As part of its support, the GMC assisted Bushlot Secondary with the development of product labels. The school earned the highest points for originality and compliance with established labelling requirements, demonstrating the importance of attractive and appropriate packaging in marketing value-added products.
The GMC said it was proud to support initiatives that promote innovation, entrepreneurship and agricultural development among young people, noting the importance of equipping students with practical skills that could encourage them to explore opportunities within the agro-processing sector.
The students, meanwhile, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to utilise the facility, describing the experience as valuable in expanding their knowledge and understanding of the processes involved in transforming agricultural produce into marketable goods.
The GMC is encouraging other secondary schools, aspiring agro-processors and members of the public to take advantage of the Fort Wellington Agro-Processing Facility, which is available free of charge to support the development and production of value-added agricultural products.
The initiative highlights the potential of agro-processing to create entrepreneurial opportunities, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen the link between agricultural production and commercial markets, while encouraging greater youth participation in Guyana’s expanding agriculture sector.