It is indeed a privilege and honour for me to officially launch this website. The website is intended to provide comprehensive content on the core business of the Ministry, core values we are committed to uphold, strategies for managing change based on current challenges and emerging opportunities. The site will provide a feedback mechanism with news and features for the public to make queries and seek advisory services on various agricultural management, administration and resource matters.
It is our intention to dedicate exclusive time and resources towards the maintenance of this newly established website in order to provide the browser, as much as possible, with current content and dynamic features thereby making the site resourceful and yet appealing.
I encourage you to frequently visit this site, engage, share and enlighten us on matters relating to our ministerial portfolio that require continuous improvement and development. This is the surest way you will contribute towards helping the Ministry realize its mission and goals and the public desire for a service delivery responsive to the needs of citizens.
Mission Statement
To facilitate and support the development of a sustainable and viable agricultural sector in order to ensure food security and income generation at household and national levels and maximise the sectors contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).
Goal Statement
To promote increase and sustainable agricultural productivity in order to ensure food security, income generation, creation of employment opportunities and a reduction in poverty levels.
Objectives
To realise the mission and goal as well as provide the Ministry with specific accountabilities against which overall performance will be measured in the coming years, the following objectives will be pursued:
- To promote the development of sustainable domestic and foreign markets for agricultural in order to enhance access to markets and generation of income;
- To promote the establishment of agro-based industries in order to create employment opportunities and contribute to the alleviation of poverty;
- To promote agricultural production, productivity and efficient management of agricultural production and produce in order to ensure sustainable household and national food security;
- To promote appropriate agricultural practices in order to improve and sustain the agriculture base;
- To develop legislation and policies and monitor and co-ordinate their effective implementation in order to guide the development of the agricultural sector and improve its performance;
- To develop and disseminate appropriate agricultural information to clients and stakeholders in order to create and increase their awareness;
- To effectively promote and provide education and training in agriculture and related disciplines in order to meet the demands of the agricultural sector;
- To promote agricultural diversification in order to ensure the availability of a wide range of agricultural commodities;
- To develop and provide appropriate technological packages in order to ensure improved productivity and production;
- To promote the development of co-operatives and other farmer organisations in order to enhance their effective participation in marketing and production;
- To promote gender mainstreaming in agriculture and HIV/AIDS awareness in agricultural programmes in order to create HIV/AIDS awareness and ensure gender equity in resource allocation and access to agricultural services;
- To effectively manage the utilisation of human, financial, material and other resources in order to ensure the attainment of the Ministry’s objectives;
- To prevent, control and contain diseases, vectors and pests of national economic importance in order to enhance livestock, crops and fisheries production;
- To promote the development of a sustainable agricultural credit and rural financial system in order to improve investment in the agricultural sector.
Core Functions
The objectives were clustered according to their similarity and relatedness to form specific functional areas, which shall constitute the Ministry’s core or main business of operation where attention shall be focused and results expected to be seen. Five core functions were identified as follows:-
- Planning and Information
Which shall mainly involve forward planning and forecasting, strategic planning and budget performance analysis, policy formulation and review, information collection and dissemination as well as monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of policies and performance in order to ensure maximum positive impact; - Agriculture
As a core functional area shall relate to the development and promotion of appropriate and viable agriculture activities which shall enhance production and productivity and contribute to food security, income generation and poverty alleviation; - Fisheries
Where the focus shall be the development, production and management of viable and productive fisheries activities in order to boost the sub-sectors contribution to food security, income generation, poverty alleviation and overall national development; - Cooperatives
Which shall focus on issues of promoting the development of cooperatives and strengthening their operations so that they become one of the key vehicles for agricultural development income generation and poverty reduction; and - Internal Management
This shall entail the provision of internal logistical and operational support as well as effective management and development of human resources for the efficient operations of the Ministry.
