EXTENSION RECOVERY PLAN PROGRES REPORT

EXTENSION RECOVERY PLANPROGRES REPORT REGENT HOTEL EAST LONDON 4 & 5 DECEMBER 2008

Farmer Support and Development Food Security Farmer Settlement Farmer Support Services Farm Worker Development

FSD STRUCTURE

FSD in the WC Admin support staff - 27 ACW’s - 25 ADO’s (Technicians) - 22 SMS’s (Specialists) - 20 District Managers - 05 & 1 Acting Sub-programme Managers - 03 Programme Manager - 01 52 offices across TOTAL- 103

CHALLENGES FACING EXT. WC • There is no model, approach and strategy (revise) • Some officials not trained in extension • Ext transforming into project management • Participatory approach – farmers, land affairs, waters affairs, social dev

Cont...... • Ext norms & standards vs curriculums offers - colleges of agric relevance • Bench marking post levels & norms and standard • Office space – budget of public works, municipalities • Standardisation of post levels

Strategies Forward Strong relationship with CIAT Current linkages – Protein Research Foundation & Potato SA Potential linkages – Fruit, ARC, MPO, RPO, Agri’s Secondment of staff will be explored Demonstration Training Units (DTU’s) Progammed extension approach 8

Strategies continue… • Specialised short courses on different commodities • On farm practices • Exposure to conservation agriculture • Soft skills training

Specific Goals and objectives • Up skilling of ACW’s (grade 12) • Phase out ACW’s – in line with norms and standards of extension • ADO’s – 2nd priority • Advisors to Senior advisors • Specialists • Appoint admin support – CASP/LARP/LRAD

Recruit & Retain of staff • Human Capital Development Strategy • Mentorship programme for new staff • Bursaries to study – contract agreement • Exposure to study tours • Interns from CIAT etc. • Linkages with commodity group

Recruitment • 2008-09 - 24 positions • Already advertised – 29/08/2008 • 4 already appointed • Interviews for 20 positions – last week • Appointments – December 2008 – February 2009 • 2009-10 - 13 positions

Up-skilling • 2008/9 – 17 Extension staff part time • 2009/10 –10 ACW’s full time if admitted • 2010/11 – 10 + 25 full/part time • Bursary Cost = R 20 000/staff member

Soft skills training • 2008/09 – 12 (3 COURSE) • 2009/10 – 27 • 2010/11 – 45 • 7 areas of compulsory training (batho pele, protocol, client service)

Technical skills training • 2008/09 – 24 • 2009/10 - 48 • 2010/11 - 48

ICT + Training • 2008/09 - 60 • 2009/10 - 70 • 2010/11 - 75

ERP BUDGET • BUDGET – R 8.054 million • 32% ICT – R 2.577m • 58% Recruitment - R 4.672m • 10% Training and Bursaries – R 805 000

Expenditure & commitments • ERP expenditure: R395,331.72 • Estimation = 2 m • R 1.5million – salaries (jan – march) • R 1.156million – 8 x LDV’s • Bursaries – R 800 000 • Instruments and equipment – R 560 000 • Knowledge & info programmes – R4 mil

Challenges • Difficulty to appoint contract position • Building grant into equitable share • Support of other program • High staff over – 11% • Extension data – computerised revolutionary system of support – smart pen pilot

RECOMMENDATIONS • Provide space for provinces based on challenges and to accounting thereto. • Formula of distribution, disadvantaging progressive smaller provinces • Dialogue between national and institutions of higher learning

Cont..... • Permanent allocation of the grant

Thank you • NDIYABULELA • I THANK YOU • DANKIE

EXTENSION RECOVERY PLAN PROGRES REPORT