The government is investing approximately $60 million to construct a modern forestry training centre at Yarrowkabra, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, to expand skills training and strengthen sustainable livelihood opportunities for surrounding communities.
Commissioner of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), Edward Goberdhan, told the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Wednesday that the new 2,500-square-foot facility will significantly increase the commission’s capacity to deliver training to the community and students interested in up-skilling themselves.
“It will be a training centre for communities, vocational trainees, the Guyana School of Agriculture, the University of Guyana and communities in Region 10, and more so communities across the country,” the commissioner explained.
He noted that while the commission already operates a training facility at Yarrowkabra, it has become too small to meet the growing demand.
“We have an existing one there, but it is small, and it is not a modern facility. We’re also building a value-added facility there, so it will complement the classroom training with practical sessions within a forestry environment,” Goberdhan said.
The commissioner added that the centre is expected to train about 300 persons annually, providing participants with practical knowledge and technical skills to support careers in forestry and related industries.
Among the programmes planned are courses in sustainable forest management for community forestry organisations, supporting the government’s commitment to building local capacity and promoting the responsible management of Guyana’s forest resources.
Construction is expected to begin by September.
The project is being implemented under the Guyana Forestry Commission’s Sustainable Livelihood Project and is funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) through the European Union Forest Partnership Facility Programme.