The permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe has inaugurated the Committee for the Extension Manual Review, stating that it would promote effective and efficient extension services delivery as well as produce a harmonised copy for evaluation and validation.
Also, Umakhihe stated that the initiative would facilitate the impactful practices of effective service delivery to the agricultural value chains in the current extension training manual.
The permanent secretary made this statement during the inauguration ceremony of the committee which took place at the ministry’s conference room in Abuja, recently.
Umakhihe revealed that the ministry, through agricultural extension services was partnering with USAID FtF Extension Activity, Rural Resilience (Mercy Corps), Winrock International Farmer to Farmer (F2F) Programme towards achieving food and nutrition security, improve quality seedlings and boost production.
He added the committee would recommend manpower training for agricultural extension services personnel to improve extension services in the agricultural sector as well as streamline policies towards achieving quality seedlings and increase in food production.
In his welcome address, the director, agricultural extension services, Engr. Frank Kudla said that: “The technical review team was composed of developmental partners like USAID, Sasakawa Africa, Federal University of Abeokuta, National Roots Research Institute, among others. These are tested agricultural extension services, professionals and experts in public and private sectors.”
Responding on behalf of the committee, the Sasakawa Africa Country Director, Prof. Sani Miko assured that the committee would work assiduously towards achieving its set objectives and achieve food sufficiency, improved quality seedlings, increase production and boost the economy.
A statement by the ministry’s director of information and signed by Ikemefuna Ezeaja said the committee’s terms of reference include a review of the existing extension training manual and incorporating innovations and proven ideas that will enhance its efficiency, produce a harmonised copy for evaluation and validation, incorporate corrections and produce a final copy after validation and make recommendations on who is to be trained using the manual.
