The Department of Agricultural to disseminate proven technical agricultural technologies, information and practices to farmers for the purpose of increasing production and productivity. This section also deals with all activities in the value chain i.e. marketing and market information, input supply, processing etc.
The department is responsible for provision of extension, advisory and technical services to farmers on various aspects of crop production, irrigation development, agricultural mechanization and land husbandry. The department provides a key interface with the farmers through the extension staff who are present at district and community levels (agricultural blocks and camps).
The department has the following key sections:
Crop Production Advisory and Technical Service
·To undertakes regularly training of staff and farmers to improve their technical skills and knowledge in both field and horticultural crops
· To conducts regularly research in field crops in order to generate information for decision making through piloting demos
· To conduct timely development and implementation of extension methodology training programs in order to impart knowledge and skills to staff and farmers.
· To conduct regularly technical backstopping and supervision to district staff in order to provide technical guidance and support.
Technical Branch Services (TSB)
· Facilitate promotion of Agricultural Mechanisation programs.
· Facilitate promotion of Land Husbandry activities in the District.
· Facilitate promotion of Irrigation programs in the District.
Nutrition Section
· To Co-ordinate timely the development and implementation of food and nutrition in order provide information to the farming community and the public.
· Provision of technical services and guidance to the farming community especially women.
· Nutrition and food nutritive value.
· Food utilisation.
· Household food processing.
· Preservation and storage in order to improve knowledge and skills.
Agribusiness and Marketing
The follows function are as follows:
· Agricultural Marketing Information
· Supervises and undertakes the timely collection, collation and dissemination of market information within the district in order to facilitate informed decision making by clients.
· Agribusiness Programmes
· Supervises and undertakes the timely development and Implementation of agribusiness programmes within the district in order to add value to primary agricultural products.
· Agricultural Trade Promotion
· Undertakes the timely development and identification of trade promotion programmes within the district in order to facilitate fair domestic and foreign agricultural trade.
· Agricultural Marketing Research
· Undertakes the timely conducting of marketing research within the district in order to generate information.
· Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure
· Coordinates and undertakes timely the identification of marketing infrastructural development needs and facilitates the rehabilitation and construction of marketing infrastructure within the district in order to improve market access.
· Agricultural Finance Support
· Coordinates effectively the development of sustainable agricultural financing and credit within the district in order to ensure resource available for agribusiness and Marketing
· Monitoring and Evaluation
· Ensures monitoring and evaluation of Agribusiness and Marketing programmes within the district in order to facilitate the implementation of appropriate interventions.
Agricultural Information Services
The main functions are as follows:
· Prepares and disseminates timely news articles on all agricultural programs for the purpose of informing the public.
· Undertakes timely writing of feature articles on agricultural activities to educate and inform the public.
· Ensure production of quality photographs regularly in order to make available for publications.
· Conducts times recording of audio data in order to facilitate information dissemination.
· Organises farm forums regularly in order to facilitate information exchange between farmers and radio producers.
· Laisses regularly with agricultural stakeholders in order to keep the public abreast with latest developments in the agricultural sectors.
· Coordinates agricultural events vested in the branch in order to achieve their specific objectives.
· Develop and implement work plans to ensure timely and efficient information collection and dissemination.
· Prepares agricultural and fisheries literature in order to facilitate timely production of information and educational publications.
· Supervises effectively the development of individual and unit work plans in order to evaluate performance.
Services (Summary)
· Designing and Production of Agricultural Teaching Aids,
· Production of Agricultural Publications,
· Agricultural Radio Broadcast,
· Lima Time Television Programmes,
· Audio-Visual Equipment,
· Illustration and Translations,
· Advertising,
· Press and Public Relations
· Editing
Agricultural Coordination
The section provides Management and Support Services to facilitate general operations of the department. Agricultural Coordination monitors and evaluates systems to ensure informed decision-making by management. This is achieved through strengthening the quality and timeliness of statistical information, and monitoring and evaluation systems among others.
The section focuses on enhancing accountability and prudent utilization of resources, improving human resources development and management, effective running of district agriculture coordinating offices as well as strengthening planning, budgeting and financial management systems.
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