The Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Waterways, Dr. Andrew Tukana while addressing at the opening of the ministry’s Extension Division’s second quarter meeting today, emphasized the crucial role of reflection, strategic approaches, and efficiency in delivering agricultural extension services.

He highlighted the need to stop and review by taking time to assess progress, identify challenges, and refine strategies to better serve the farmers.

He reminded the staff of their critical role in driving agricultural productivity and encouraged them to work smarter.

“Extension officers are the agents of change. So how you operate and make decisions and do implementations or interventions in the field will reflect on the senior management. We acknowledge the work that you all have been doing so far,” he said.

He urged the staff to work together with other divisions by sharing resources such as vehicles to enhance efficiency and outreach.

“By fostering teamwork and maximising available resources, we can better support our farmers and strengthen the agricultural sector.”

He reminded the officers to pass the message to all staff to prioritize effective communication, ensure timely feedback, and continuously improve service delivery to meet the needs of the farmers and customers.

He said farmers travel long distances to visit government offices and we need to change the way we deal with them.

Dr. Tukana recommended that staff reach out to the relevant officers or other ministries to assist farmers and customers needing advice at the offices.

Some of the other key points highlighted during the address included:

·        Utilisation of Funds – Ensuring efficient and transparent use of financial resources for maximum benefit.

·        In-Service Training – Encouraging continuous learning and skill enhancement to keep up with modern agricultural practices.

·        Use of Government Resources – Promoting responsible and optimal use of resources to support agricultural growth.

The Permanent Secretary encouraged all officers to remain committed to boosting agricultural productivity and food security.

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