Agriculture ministry gets $ 425 million for restructuring exercise

Cabinet has approved $425 million restructuring exercise for the agriculture ministry.



The ministry said the exercise should be completed within two years and will result in a more responsive approach to helping farmers improve their productivity levels.



The ministry said since the new administration took over, the repositioning process was accelerated with the engagement of a consulting firm, which made recommendations for the restructuring after wide-scale consultations.



High on the list of the recommendations made, was the need for the reorganisation of the Veterinary Services Division.



It was also recommended that the Forestry Department and the Fisheries Division should be accorded executive agency status, to allow for greater levels of accountability within these entities.



The ministry said both entities are currently being transitioned into full executive agency status.



The agriculture ministry said the next phase of the reform will focus on the agencies and divisions involved in the provision of services to farmers and capacity building within the Ministry.



These include the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the Ministry’s Research and Development Division, The Agri-business Coordination Unit and the Agricultural Development Corporation.



The ministry has also disclosed that the Agricultural Credit Board is to be dissolved and its regulatory role absorbed by the Registrar of Cooperatives.