CHIEF DIRECTORATE: CORPORATE SERVICES
DIRECTORATE: COMMUNICATION SERVICES
MEDIA RELEASE
Extension officers remain to be the real reservoirs of agricultural information – MEC Tshwene
Monday, 21st February 2011
Rustenburg: More than two hundred (200) Extension officers employed by the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development where during the recently held Provincial Extension and Advisory Services Conference encouraged to use their agricultural wisdom to the benefit of the rural communities.
Dubbed “Working together to reduce poverty in rural areas by promoting food sufficiency and rural industries”, this 5th annual conference reflected on amongst others, the challenges facing Agricultural Extension in the country, the coping mechanisms needed to ensure that these officers execute their duties effectively as well as the performance of the Extension Recovery Plan (ERP) in the North West province.
Addressing the delegates, MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Boitumelo Tshwene said the platform created for extension officers to meet and discuss their affairs, demonstrates the department’s bold action towards revamping extension service in the province.
“The province and the country at large must be nurtured by a strong and vibrant agriculture sector through a proactive and responsive extension system, and that responsibility is in your hands”.
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“As we continue to implement the critical pillars as outlined in our Extension Recovery Plan, we must have our exceptional approach to ensuring vibrant and sustainable livelihoods, and this must be aligned to government’s approach to rural development”, emphasized MEC Tshwene who acknowledged that this plan has breathed new life into extension service.
Speaking about the challenges facing agricultural extension, Professor Francois Lategan from the University of Fort Hare said one of the apparent problems with extension service is the high farmer to extension practitioner ratio, which he attributes to scarce human resource in the field of extension.
“There is a need for provincial departments of Agriculture to ensure that they comply with the recommended 1:500 ratio as outlined in the ERP norms and standards, for us to improve the relevance and effectiveness of agricultural extension” highlighted Mr Joe Kgobokoe from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, pointing out that the delivery of information, technical advice and agricultural skills training for farmers rest within extension services.
Kgobokoe said the department has noted with concern perceptions that exist about the alleged ‘ineffectiveness’ of extension service in the country, hence the development and implementation of the National Extension Recovery Plan in 2006.
“Government is continuing to invest a lot in this profession with the view to earn back the status it used to enjoy, since there is noticeable lack of understanding of the role of extension officers among the communities”, said Mr Kgobokoe.
The conference appreciated the progress registered by the province in implementing the five pillars of the ERP, and undertook to ensure that even during the plan implementation phase, service delivery improves and that extension image is restored.
Twelve (12) best performing extension officers were as part of the conference highlight, rewarded for their loyalty and outstanding service to the farming community.
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Issued by the Directorate Communication services
Contact Person: Ms Bonolo Mohlakoana
018 389 5719 / 082 901 2435
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