It is necessary to engage all stakeholders in the
agriculture sector, including trade unions and
the Department of Labour, to find solutions to
workplace issues affecting service delivery from
the agriculture department’s extension officers.
This was reiterated by the more than 300 extension
officers, academics and government officials
from across South Africa at the recent annual
conference of the South African Society for
Agricultural Extension (SASAE) in Kimberley.
SASAE president Mantombi Mbongo also asked
if the acceleration of the land reform process
in South Africa took into account whether the
department’s extension and advisory services
had the necessary resources and capacity.
She said a problem that the agriculture
department was currently grappling with
was that too many officials were raising
matters related to workplace challenges.
The six branches of the Directorate for National
Extension Support had been asked to highlight
priorities and all had come to the table with employer
or workplace problems. These ranged from payment of
rural allowances to a lack of transport to visit farmers.
Mbongo said the society was not a trade union
and its mandate did not extend to addressing such
issues, but it was planning to host workshops later
in the year to facilitate the necessary engagement.
“Every time we try to move forward, we can’t
because [our members] bring the same issues.”
She said new farmers, in particular, faced
numerous challenges in terms of markets,
production, product quality and climate.
Her concern was that the focus on workplace
problems meant that attention was not being given
to addressing pressing matters for farmers such
as market access or adapting to climate change.
“The most worrying thing for us is that farmers
out there need our assistance, but it doesn’t
happen as long as people are complaining about
issues around conditions of employment.”
Commenting on the conference in general,
Mbongo said she was excited about the success of a
recent project aimed at increasing youth participation
in agriculture. Teams from each branch had
participated in a competition in which they had to
prepare and present business plans. – Sabrina Dean
ExtEnsion sErvicEs
‘Farmers lose out as
extension officials focus
on workplace issues’
Attention is not being
given to pressing mAtters
AFFeCting FArmers
Water Passion
CULTURE AND IRRIGATION
Calpeda Pumps Southern Africa Pty Ltd
Cape Town & Johannesburg
T: 010 442 2200 E: [email protected] W: http://www.calpeda.co.za
Industry Domestic Use And IrrigationAgriculture Buildingsserivce And Sewage Drainage Ground Water Supply Swimming PoolsAnd Whirpool Air ConditioningHeating And