ALIV, The Bahamas’ newest mobile network, has sponsored one of 10 students from the University of The Bahamas who will attend the 32nd West Indies Agricultural Economic Conference with a sub-theme of “Food and Nutrition Security: The Pathway to Sustainable Agricultural Development in the Caribbean.”

The official handover of the cheque to Assistant Professor Dr. Erecia Hepburn and Ricarla Rodgers was made on July 20 at ALIV’s Headquarters off Soldier Road.

According to the Caribbean Agro-Economic Society’s website, the international conference will deal with crucial agricultural issues affecting Caribbean food and nutrition security. The conference will be held from August 6-11, in Georgetown, Guyana.

“Attending this conference will provide me and my students with an opportunity to learn more about the latest innovations in agriculture and agricultural diversification strategies,” Dr. Hepburn said. “It will also provide direct access to exhibits and presentations from many other organizations within the agricultural industry, allowing us to gain valuable information about what other countries are doing and where they are focusing their efforts.”

“We believe strongly in working with the community, especially the youth of this country through education. The theme of the conference is timely and one we definitely need to focus on here in The Bahamas. Our sponsorship of the student confirms our commitment as a corporate citizen to do our part in addressing some of the issues in the country – food supply and sustainability being a very important one – so we are excited to give Miss Rodgers the opportunity to attend this conference. We hope she has a great time and a wonderful experience and can impart some of what she learns locally when she returns,” Bianca Bethel-Sawyer, ALIV Events, Sponsorship and Community Manager said.

By attending, the 10 students will have the opportunity to partner with other organizations, interact with individuals in the sector, and present their research papers from their Farm Management class – with the possibility of having them published.

The students will also be competing for the best student award with undergraduates and graduates.