Farmers are not utilizing their local agricultural offices for support, according to Minister for Agriculture Vatimi Rayalu, who spoke to the media about the growing issue for the ministry. He noted that many farmers expect ministry officials to come to them instead of making the trip to the offices.
“We are one of the ministries that has an office in almost every province,” Mr. Rayalu stated. “Unfortunately, most of the general public believe that agricultural officers are obliged to visit them.” He emphasized that it is impractical for one officer to cover an entire province due to limited resources.
“Wherever I go, whether it is a village or province, I ask if they visit their agriculture office to learn about the assistance available through the Ministry of Agriculture, and more often than not, the answer is no,” he mentioned. The minister expressed his frustration over the lack of awareness among villagers regarding the services provided by the ministry.
Supporting Mr. Rayalu’s comments, his permanent secretary Andrew Tukana acknowledged the staffing shortages and logistical difficulties the ministry faces. “There are processes within the government,” Mr. Tukana explained. “We cannot simply add more staff without established positions.”
He noted that the staff-to-population ratio in certain areas presents challenges, and while there are efforts to resolve these issues, following government procedures is necessary to create new positions. “We need to work within government processes, such as requesting approval from the Ministry of Civil Service to create additional positions,” he added. “These issues are in the pipeline, and we recognize the limitations. We are working to address them as quickly as possible.”