UGBC’s hands-on plant disease workshop empowers farmers, students, regional researchers

…Guyana, Suriname participants say training will directly improve field diagnosis,
crop management

For four days this past week, 40 participants – from teachers and agricultural students to regional researchers and farmers – immersed themselves in the science of diagnosing and managing plant diseases at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC).
Led by Director of UGBC, Professor Gomathinayagam Subramanian, the workshop blended practical fieldwork with laboratory analysis, giving participants the rare opportunity to observe, test, and compare plant pathogens in real time.
Professor Subramanian said the goal of the programme was straightforward but critical for any tropical agricultural system.
“The main aim is to spot a diagnosis and disease. That means the people who see the field see what kind of disease – whether it’s caused by fungus or bacteria or nematodes or protozoa,” he said while explaining that over the four-day session, held from December 8 to 11, participants worked through a structured curriculum designed to help them match symptoms to their correct causal agents.
He emphasised that misdiagnosis is one of the most common and costly mistakes farmers make.
“Suppose the plants are yellow in colour… People start using urea. That’s not correct. At the end of the day, the disease is not cured,” he pointed out.
His intention, he stressed, is to ensure learners return to their farms or institutions with the confidence to diagnose issues properly and manage them with the right tools, chemicals or culture methods.
The workshop attracted attendees from several institutions across Guyana, including the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), teachers and students from technical institutes, farmers, and notably, participants from Suriname and the Kuru Kuru Co-operative College. The diversity, Prof. Subramanian said, reflects the mounting regional demand for science-based plant health training.
“So far, I have conducted 20 workshops. If you put the advertisement within 10 minutes, the people will submit applications… It’s expanding, grow, grow, grow,” he said proudly, adding that even participants as old as 81 have benefited from the sessions.

Among the attendees was Ruthann Williams from the Guyana School of Agriculture’s Crop Management programme. She said her motivation stemmed from wanting to better guide farmers and communities.
“What we are hoping to achieve is to let farmers know about the disease that affects their plants… not just about the bacteria and the fungus, but also some of the beneficial bacteria,” she explained. The workshop, she added, strengthened her ability to identify pathogens.
“The programme here is letting people be aware of the fungus… how it’s harmful to the plants, and how we can identify it… so that when I see it, I can [say,] ‘Okay, this is what type… on this farmer’s crop?’”
Her comments echoed a recurring theme throughout the training: the urgent need for correct, science-driven identification before treatment.
From Suriname, Nurinda Jamin, who works at the Anne Dyk Ryst Onderzoekscenturn Nickerie (Rice Research Institute), said the workshop provided crucial cross-border insights.
“We find it really learnable. We learn a lot about microorganisms… Everything, because the Professor is someone who learned everything step by step, and that was amazing,” she said.
She was particularly impressed by the hands-on approach.
“We just went for a field trip, and we collected some diseased plants… We bring it into the lab, and we just research for the fungus, all the bacteria.”
She intends to take her new knowledge back home:
“With this knowledge, I will bring it back to the organisation I work for… and we will see what kind of fungus we can get in our fields.”
Meanwhile, for Kevin Baird of the Guyana School of Agriculture’s Essequibo Campus, the workshop provided clarity on issues he encounters daily.
“One problem we have at the campus in Essequibo is stunted growth… mostly that’s caused by nematode and also leaf blight,” he said.
Through the workshop, he learnt how to test soil, interpret cultures and apply corrective measures.
“We learned about the culture; see if the soil has the nematode… So you could go and check the soil; you could be able to know what to treat, where to treat for.”
Baird pointed out that he was grateful for techniques relating to fermentation and beneficial microbes.
“We learned something about the fermentation, which can use the beneficial microbes to kill out the bad ones… I will share what I learned with the students also in the community, so [we can] better the agricultural production.”
Throughout the training, the lab buzzed with activity as participants captured images and compared fungal structures, nematode movements, bacterial colonies, and protozoa. According to Prof. Subramanian, this is exactly how learning should happen.
“Whatever learning, it has to go practical… hands-on experience… When you reach the field, reach the home, the use of this practice, I’m more than happy,” he said.
He added that the workshop’s success is reflected in the enthusiasm of the learners themselves.
“Even if they finish the workshop, the next day they call me… ‘Next workshop, when?’ They’re so interested… That means interest,” he said.
As the four-day programme closed, participants left with not only certificates but also the skills to diagnose, understand, and manage plant health challenges in a way that directly supports agricultural resilience in Guyana and Suriname.
sUGBC officials say the university will continue to expand technical training initiatives in 2026, ensuring that Berbice remains a hub for practical, science-driven agricultural education—exactly the kind of knowledge Professor Subramanian believes can transform the region’s farming landscape.