•Leron Adzil Webbe is the third student from Nevis to study Agricultural Science at EARTH University in Costa Rica.
•He wishes to return to the island after graduation to promote local and sustainable livestock production.
Guácimo, Costa Rica. October, 2015. Leron Adzil Webbe, age 19, was recently accepted to study Agricultural Science at EARTH University in Guácimo, Costa Rica. Leron’s education is made possible thanks to generous support from a donor who provided him with a full scholarship that will allow him to develop as a professional and as a leader of change.
Leron is from Gingerland and has a wealth of experience in agriculture; he grew up working on his family’s pig farm and studied agriculture at Nevis Sixth Form College. After graduating, he completed an internship in livestock management with the Ministry of Agriculture of Nevis.
In October, Leron will arrive in Costa Rica and join fellow Nevisians Devene Smithen and Prince Arrindell, who started at the University last year. Before beginning classes in January 2016, he will participate in an intensive Spanish immersion program, taking daily classes and living with Costa Rican host families to maximize his learning potential. Leron says he is “excited to live in such a multicultural environment” and that he is looking forward to learning a second language.
At EARTH, Leron will develop skills in every stage of agricultural production, including cultivation, crop management, harvest, post-harvest and food processing. He will also gain valuable experience in waste management, animal husbandry, natural resource management and ethical entrepreneurship.
Mr. Eric Evelyn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture of Nevis, remarks that, “It is so important that more young people take up agriculture and I’m very happy that three young Nevisian students will now be studying at EARTH and coming back to Nevis to make a solid contribution to the development of agriculture and the island as a whole.” He adds that, “We have every hope that the students coming out of EARTH will be champions of new technology, sustainable farm management and better practices for local farmers.”
According to Mr. Junior Acosta, Director of the Admissions Office at EARTH University, “We are accepting applications from Caribbean students for the 2017 academic year from now until November 30th, 2015. We encourage all young men and women who are interested in studying agriculture and natural resource management to visit our website at www.earth.ac.cr for more information.”
About EARTH University
Since 1990, EARTH University’s innovative educational approach has been preparing young people from Latin America, the Caribbean and other regions, including Africa and Asia, to contribute to the sustainable development of their countries and construct a prosperous and just society. EARTH offers a rigorous four-year undergraduate program in agricultural sciences and a prestigious, international faculty, providing a world-class education that emphasizes science and technology, values, ethical entrepreneurship and environmental and social commitment. Students graduate from EARTH with a licenciatura (between a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree) degree in Agricultural Sciences. For more information, visit www.earth.ac.cr.