Agricultural extension service needs improvement: Minister<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Agricultural extension service, which is
\npresently conducted autonomously by local administrations, has
\nyet to produce the desired results, Minister of Agriculture
\nSjarifudin Baharsjah said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin said second-level (mayoralty and regency level)
\nadministrations across the country have different capabilities
\nand therefore have had different levels of success.<\/p>\n
\"This, and the fact that field extension workers have
\ndifferent personal attitudes, have caused farmers to give
\ndifferent responses to the supervision program,\" Sjarifudin said.<\/p>\n
The government stipulated in 1991 that agricultural extension
\nservice be overseen by mayoralty and regency administrations, not
\nthe Ministry of Agriculture in Jakarta, and managed by the local
\nagricultural offices for food crop and horticulture, animal
\nhusbandry, plantations and fishery.<\/p>\n
\"However, the different levels of competency of each of these
\nautonomous offices, as well as their human resources, have
\nweakened the program,\" Sjarifudin said.<\/p>\n
He said the government has earmarked Rp 55 billion (US$23.91
\nmillion) this fiscal year in operational funds for the
\nagricultural extension service.<\/p>\n
The funds, he said, were allocated in a Presidential
\nInstruction on second-level administrations, while the ruling was
\nstipulated in Joint Decree No. 54\/1996, issued by the minister of
\nhome affairs and the minister of agriculture.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin explained that the funds cover stipends and
\ntransportation, stationary and housing expenses.<\/p>\n
The ratio of supervisors to farmers is currently 1:15 for
\nareas in Java but much smaller on other islands, Sjarifudin said.<\/p>\n
\"It would not be appropriate to set a fixed 'ideal ratio'
\nbecause the conditions in each region vary greatly. We have
\nagreed to settle on a 'most-effective' standard instead,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said that ideally, regional autonomy would allow farmers
\nand local administrations to work together, with his ministry's
\noffice in Jakarta only providing the program guidelines.<\/p>\n
\"In the end, it is hoped that agricultural extension service
\nfrom the ministry's staff will help empower farmers to solve
\ntheir problems and disseminate information among themselves,\"
\nSjarifudin said. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/agricultural-extension-service-needs-improvement-minister-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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