North West on agricultural extension conference

15 August 2006

Potchefstroom: “The previous training of our current extension officers
might be having gaps. Initially they were trained only for agricultural
products of conventional commodities. The current situation is such that
marketing skills, business skills, wild life farming skills, organic farming
and production of indigenous crops, are the key requirements to enable our
extension officers to effectively do their job. Lack of advanced training on
these skills might be the biggest impediment.”

These are some of the challenges that the MEC for Agriculture, Conservation
and Environment in North West, Mandlenkosi Mayisela highlighted at the
beginning of a three-day provincial conference on agricultural extension
Officers that was held at Potchefstroom Agricultural College.

About 207 provincial extension officers, members representing North West
Agricultural Farmers’ Union, Agri North West, National Emergent Red Meat
Producers Organisation (NERPO), national Department of Agriculture and the
University of Pretoria, participated in the conference that started on Monday
with the theme, “Age of Hope - Agricultural Extension: Back to the basics”.

The objectives of this conference were to create an internal platform where
department officials and relevant stakeholders could discuss the functions of
extension officers in relation to the National Norms and Standards, delivery
matters, challenges facing this profession, as well as to formulate the
guidelines for an extension approach or policy framework for the North West
Province.

Extension officers are viewed as the immediate face of the department, as
they are the first people that the farming communities come into direct contact
with on daily basis. These are departmental officials who are continuing to
teach, assist and inspire farming communities on farming ideas, and help them
to acquire the technical and managerial skills required to cope effectively
with the farming needs.

“This type of a gathering provided us with an opportunity to vigorously
assess the service that we have been rendering as far as farming is concerned.
We seek to make a serious self introspection that will enable us to contribute
meaningfully to the development of our farming communities. We are optimistic
that the outcomes of this conference will uplift the level of service delivery
for all North West farming communities,” said Mr Andrian Masigo, director for
Farming Settlement and Support.

The conference agreed in principle that there’s a need to develop a plan on
how the extension services should be overhauled, with the view of enhancing
effective and quality service delivery.

Enquiries:
Ms Motlalepula Rosho
Tel: (018) 389 5346
Cell: 082 806 7326
E-mail: mrosho@nwpg.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, North
West Provincial Government
15 August 2006
Source: North West Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment
(http://www.nwdace.gov.za)