PM urges agricultural officers to improve extension services

Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente has told public servants in charge of the agricultural sector to do their best in delivering on the country’s food security targets by improving agriculture extension services. He made the call on December 8, 2019, in Nkumba, Burera District, while addressing around one thousand trainees who had completed a two-week civic education training, commonly known as Itorero. The training was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, and the National Itorero Commission. Its aim was to train them to be catalysts of transformation designed to increase agricultural production as well as adding value to it. “You are the ones in charge of following up and realising the extension services in the agricultural sector. I want you to focus on the agricultural value chain, from seed multiplication, planting, to the post-harvest process,” Ngirente said. Some of the raised questions during the interactive session with the Prime Minister were timely delivery of seeds, fertilisers and its better use to avoid delays, coordination issues, among others. The Prime Minister thanked the trainees and promised them close follow-up and solution to the raised questions. During the event, the trainees joined residents of Kinoni Sector in the district to plant 4,000 fingerlings (young fish) in two fish ponds belonging to a local fish cooperative called Isugi. The cooperative also received 1,300 kilogrammes of fish feed. Among other activities, they planted 5,469 fruit tree seedlings, including 1,226 for avocadoes, 2,583 for tree tomatoes, and 1,660 for passion fruit in the same sector.

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PM urges agricultural officers to improve extension services