CASE President Highlights Research as Key to National Food Security

Research plays a crucial role in ensuring the nation’s food security, says President of the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland, Dr. Derrick Deslandes.

Speaking recently during the institution’s Research Day, Dr. Deslandes said research is the foundation for innovation and entrepreneurship, citing the need for greater support to advance the sector.

He further emphasised that research allows CASE to push boundaries and drive new technologies, positively impacting farmers’ productivity.

“We have to find ways of supporting the type of infrastructure that allows us to play the role that we can play if we are serious about food security. If we don’t address some core issues, in terms of improving our productivity within the space, then our food security problem will only get worse,” Dr. Deslandes stated.

CASE’s Research Day, themed ‘Enhancing Education, Science, and Agriculture: Building Capacity for Master Researchers’, saw the institution showcasing cutting-edge research, fostering collaboration, and promoting innovation in education, science, and agriculture.

“We are demonstrating to Jamaica and the world that CASE has an important role to play in the development of agriculture [and] the integration of science and technology into the agriculture space, the integration of business and hospitality with agriculture [and] the integration of mathematics and computer sciences with agriculture,” Dr. Deslandes said.

He added that, “CASE is a best-kept secret and, perhaps, a secret for too long; we have pivoted, as an institution, to research.”

“We know it is going to take a while for it to become fully entrenched but today demonstrates to students, staff and our stakeholders that we mean business,” the President stated.

Scores of students from several parishes converged on the College’s campus to learn about all things relating to research as well as visit the array of booths.

The main ceremony took place in the T.P. Lecky Hall, which featured an address by University of the West Indies Pro Vice-Chancellor and Mona Campus Principal, Professor Densil Williams.

Dr. Deslandes expressed optimism that the event will evolve into a two-day affair.

Grade-eight student at Annotto Bay High School in St. Mary, Patricia Anderson, shared her overview of the event.

“I really loved it because I learned a lot of things. It [was] just amazing… and I wish to come back to CASE. When I heard about CASE, I was saying to myself that I didn’t know there was a college in Portland… so I had to come on this trip,” the aspiring doctor said.