The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development cordially invites members of the media to a three day Cape Programme for Rural Innovation (CAPRI) seminar where extension and advisory services officials would relate on how the innovative training has helped them to assist the communities.
The CAPRI programme was started in 2006 in partnership with Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands and an official from the institution was seconded to the Eastern Cape to help departmental officials to offer the training to more than 200 extension and advisory services officials.
The project aims to revitalise extension training, strengthening organisational and staff capacities to ensure an agricultural education and training that responds to the needs of the emerging farmers. Skills acquired by the officials include production systems, decision making and farm management, interpersonal communication, group dynamics, facilitation, representation, accountability, planning, coordination, conflict management and monitoring and evaluation.
The seminar will also feature officials from western and northern who will share how the programme has help to intensify agricultural activities in their provinces while the Wageningen University official who was based in the province during the period of the training will share his experience after visiting some of the trained officials on their field work.
The department is committed in the development of skills and capacity of farmers in order to increase food production, productivity, profitability, viability and sustainability; hence it is essential to capacitate officials to be effective specialists, development technicians and advisors.
The Human and Institutional Capacitation chief directorate, which is responsible for the training of officials and farmers as well as overseeing the development of agricultural institutions in the province jointly with Extension and Advisory Services directorate, arranged the seminar to mark the end of the cycle for the CAPRI Big five 2009/10 program.
The training has played a major role in the realisation of one of the pillars of the extension recovery plan (ERP) which further provides skills and re-orientates the extension and advisory services in order to keep officials update with the new agricultural trends.
The ERP is programme that is aimed restoring the dignity of extension and advisory services and other pillars involved supplying information communication technology (ICT) and communication facilities, provision of protective clothing and improvements of benefits and remuneration.
The seminar will also serve to further skill the extension and advisory officers in the presentation and writing skills through bringing together all participants in the last two cycles (2008/09 and 2009/10 financial years) to share their experiences and to prepare presentations for the upcoming Extension and Advisory Services Indaba.
Members of the media are urged to attend this seminar to gain a better understanding on how extension and advisory services officials work within the communities.
Details of the event:
Venue: Jeffery’s Bay, Mentoskraal Country Estate
Date: 7 to 9 October 2009
Time: 8h00 to 16h00
For more information contact:
Gertrude Gayiya
Cell: 082 377 3848
Tel: 040609 3371
Nomakhaya Stemele
Tel: 040 609 3542
Issued by: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
2 October 2009
