Strengthening of Belize National Extension Service
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Immigration (MAFFESDI) collaborated with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) on the development of a National Agriculture Research and Extension Strategy. IICA has agreed to support the Ministry of Agriculture in identifying the more important basic information needed by the farmers and the extension service and to develop a strategy for the exchange of information between the farmer and the Ministry of agriculture.
From October 21 to October 28 a mission (task force) was establish to collect data among Stakeholders, Agriculture Coordinators, Extension officers from 6 Districts , as well as other sister organizations that also provide extension support to farmers (Pesticides Control Board, Cooperatives Department). Data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews and focus groups and the information will be used to make recommendations on how to adopt information communication technologies as an integral part of extension communication. Extension methodologies and leadership skills to enhance the effective and efficient delivery of extension service to farmers, and the development of a proposal for a training curriculum for the agriculture extension department to target the frontline extension officers to upscale their awareness and competence in extension issues and strategies.
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