Voices Magazine Vol2-Issue-6

VOICES Bi-Monthly Magazine of the University of Technology, Jamaica | February - March 2019 12 Agriculture Minister Lauds New MSc in Integrated Rural Development Hon. Audley Shaw (centre), Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries poses with students from the first cohort of the new University of Technology, Jamaica’s MSc in Integrated Rural Development (MIRD), Lickeesha Aikkins (3rd left), Nadine Wilson Smith (1st right) and Laina Steele (2nd right). Sharing in the occasion are members of UTech, Jamaica’s leadership, (from left), Dr. Paul Ivey, Associate Vice President, Graduate Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Amani Ishemo, Programme Coordinator, MIRD and Dr Garfield Young, Dean, Faculty of The Built Environment. H on. Audley Shaw, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries has lauded the new Master of Science in Integrated Rural Development launched by the University of Technology, Jamaica, as “a great initiative whose time has come.” The Minister was delivering the key address at the programme’s launch ceremony at the University’s Papine Campus on Thursday, February 7, 2019. The Minister said that students of the MSc in Integrated Rural Development have the opportunity to start a revolution to inspire rural development in Jamaica. “Rural Development must begin with human development by taking a serious and critical look at the pulse points of opportunities and how we are going to exploit them,” the Minister said. Pointing to the many acres of arable, idle lands which exist in our rural communities, the Minister emphasized that, “we cannot create wealth until we create wealth in the minds of our people.” Specializations An overview of the new Integrated Rural Development master’s programme, was given by Programme Coordinator, Dr. Amani Ishemo who highlighted key aspects of the course of study. The programme consists of 11 modules which will be delivered over 18 months or six semesters with specialisations in Rural Entrepreneurship, Rural Land Management and Settlement Development. The first cohort began the programme in January 2019. Partner agencies include Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the Inter- American Institute for Corporation on Agriculture (IICA) and The Bureau of Standards all of which have in place MoU partnership arrangements with the university; the Scientific Research Council (SRC), the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and Brandon University, Canada. Dr.Amani Ishemo, Programme Coordinator, MSc in Integrated Rural Development.