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Herald Correspondent
The top five extension officers in the Ministry of Agriculture Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development yesterday received awards for being outstanding performers in an online in-service training examination.
The examination winners of phase 1 of Zimbabwe Agriculture Extension Inservice Training Application are: Tiisetho Mashila (Matabeleland North), McDonald Nyamuno (Midlands), Ennie Murungu (Mashonaland West), William Mushanawani (Manicaland) and Lovemore Mwanonoka (Manicaland).
They were best performers in the modules of field crops, horticulture, agribusiness and livestock production.
The best provincial recruiter award was given to Mrs Evelyn Ndoro who is the provincial director of Mashonaland West.
Winners received US$150 cash and bags of maize seed each among other things from partners Cash Valley and Fertiliser Seed Grain.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera thanked the extension officers for embracing technology.
“The in-service training app came as a backdrop to our efforts to capacitate extension services in Zimbabwe,” he said.
He said it was essential to capacitate extension officers with knowledge to accomplish Vision 2030.
“Capacitating extension delivery system is key to the transformation of the agriculture sector. The six months refresher modules are important in enhancing the skills of our extension officers who are agents of change in agriculture.”
Dr Basera said the programme was part of the Agricultural Recovery Plan which speaks of the capacitation of extension services through improved mobility, appropriate training and equipping them with digital technologies.
The Ministry partnered with Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme on this refresher course to close the skills gap in agriculture.
One of the winners, Mrs Murungu (best performer in agribusiness) said she was happy to participate in the programme.
“I am very excited to be one of the winners today.I did not waste the opportunity to enroll for this online course when the Ministry introduced it. I have learnt of things which I will implement in the field,” she said.
Mwanonoka from Manicaland Province thanked the ministry for equipping them with knowledge.
“This was a great opportunity to learn new things and skills and this information will go a long way in helping improve production and transform our agricultural sector,” he said.
President Mnangagwa has so far provided 6 000 motorbikes to extension officers across the country to improve their mobility.
The mobility challenges had been crippling their efforts to effectively cover farmers in need of their technical services countrywide.
The Government is also making efforts in ensuring that all extension officers get tablets to use for their work.
Online Reporter