adminGovernment seeks to improve service delivery to farmers.
This move will see departments being headed on a very senior level.
Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said agricultural experts and officers should spend most of their time in the field with farmers instead of attending meetings and workshops.
“We have approached the public service on the new structural adjustments so that we move and focus more on the filed side.
“There have been too many meetings when farmers are yearning for assistance,” he said.
The changes will see Agritex concentrating more on production.
“We have to be pro-active and develop the livestock, crop and irrigation sectors so that each of these entities will be come more efficient,” he said. While he appreciated the role being played by the Agricultural
Marketing Authority, Minister Made said the authority should not only concentrate on cotton but also comprehensively look at other areas such as the livestock sector, tea and tobacco to assist farmers.
“AMA, with resources permitting should be moving around assisting farmers and getting to understand their plight. So many farmers are struggling with post harvest handling of their crops and marketing and this is the area where AMA should also play a role,” he said.
The minister also challenged AMA to disseminate vital information to farmers. The authority could do so through farming magazines, and their in-house magazines. Farmers have been complaining over the absence of extension officers in their areas while the extension workers were also failing to discharge their duties due to several challenges including mobility problem. In some areas service delivery has increased as some extension officers now have bicycles and motor bikes to move around the farms.
In a bid to improve service delivery, the ministry also readmitted some senior experts who had retired to strengthen the departments.
Online Reporter