First Seychellois gets scholarship to study for a PhD in soil science |20 March 2015

Barry Nourrice, a principal laboratory technologist, is the first Seychellois to be awarded a scholarship to study for a PhD in soil science.

The three-year scholarship has been co-funded by the University of Aberdeen in the UK, the government of Seychelles and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Mr Nourrice, who left Seychelles earlier this month, previously received his travel documents from the chief executive of the Agency for National Human Resource Development (ANHRD) Margaret Pillay.

The scholarship is a dream come true for Mr Nourrice who has for a long time been nurturing the idea of becoming the first Seychellois to study for a doctorate degree in soil science.

This dream started in 1998 when Mr Nourice joined the School of Agriculture as a student from the National Youth Service (NYS).
Awarded the first Vijay Scholarship under the Vijay Scholarship programme in 2005, he went to further his studies at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore India.

In 2013, following the successful setting up of the Soil and Plant Laboratory project at Grand Anse Mahé where he has currently been working as principal laboratory technologist, Mr Nourrice was awarded a joint scholarship by the IAEA and the ANHRD to proceed for a Masters in soil science at the University of Aberdeen in UK (Scotland). Maintaining his good performance as usual, Mr Nourice completed his Masters with Commendation for his core module and Distinction for his thesis where he has specialised in soil salinity management.

While completing his Masters, Mr Nourrice competed for the Elphinstone Scholarship, which is an international scholarship programme in memory of the founder of the University of Aberdeen, Cardinal Elphinstone.  He was successfully awarded the scholarship in August last year.

Since the scholarship programme is a partially funded one and covers only the tuition, Mr Nourice sought the help of the ANHRD to cover the stipend and travel and that of the IAEA to help with the research funding.

Expressing his heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has helped him in one way or another to realise his dream, Mr Nourrice has this message for young students, especially those studying at the Seychelles Agricultural and Horticultural Training Centre (SAHTC): “As an individual you have to set goals and work to successfully reach these goals and you need to work hard, stay motivated and persevere as nothing comes easy.”

Meanwhile the ANHRD continues to encourage the youths to choose a career in the field of agriculture in order to ensure food security for our nation. Scholarships are available for promising students with the entry requirements for university.