MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development, Mrs Lydia Johnson, officially welcomed 205 unemployed graduates into its Extension Recovery Programme today, 11 November 2010, at Cedara. These graduates are highly skilled professionals with qualifications in agriculture and have been recruited in line with the objectives of the Extension Recovery Plan.
The department embarked on a programme to employ more than 200 Assistant Agricultural Extension Officers this year to bolster its extension services in the province. The aim of the recruitment drive is to capacitate the department to carry out its mandate as part of the war on poverty, including “One Home One Garden”.
The province of KwaZulu-Natal has a total of 871 Wards while there are only 487 Extension Officers. This translates to two Wards per Extension Officer, which is inadequate given the tasks at hand. The department is however aware of a large number of unemployed agricultural graduates with a diploma. These college graduates have more than acceptable skills to support homestead food production which is integral to the Flagship Programmes of the province.
The department has employed these Assistant Agricultural Extension Officials on a contract basis, for a minimum of two years.
The exit strategy will include the following:
1. They will be encouraged to upgrade their qualifications and can apply to the existing bursary scheme in the department.
2. Possible employment once they are qualified.
Today the extension officials signed their contracts and were officially welcomed by MEC Johnson who was elated to inject new blood into the department.
“The department is committed to empowering youth in agriculture and rural development as areas that require special focus. It places a lot of value on the college graduates, as a result it has been pondering how it can absorb them into the main stream of employment within the department. What we have started with you today should translate to positive outcomes not only for the department but more importantly, for communities across the province.” said Johnson.
The graduates commenced their duties as Extension Officers on 1 November 2010 and work in communities across the province. The second part of the Extension Officers’ responsibilities is to promote development communication of government’s strategy of staying close to the people’s needs.
For all your queries contact:
Ncumisa Mafunda: Media Liaison Officer (DAE & RD Ministry)
Tel: 033 343 8063
Fax: 033 343 8255
Switchboard: 033 343 8240
Cell: 079 515 7187
