- INTRODUCTION
Monitoring is a key component in Agricultural Extension delivery. It is a process of ensuring that planned activity implementation is carried out specification to meet target.
The Director of Agric. (MDA) and his team set out to monitor the activities being implemented by all Agric. Extension Agents (AEAs) and Municipal Agric Officers (MAOs) in the Modernizing Agriculture in Ghana (MAG) work plan.
The quarter under review is from April to June, 2022, and the monitoring is 10 days to cover all 10 Operational Areas.
- DETAILS OF THE MONITORING
- WHO COMPLETED THE MONITORING
| No | NAMES | TITLES |
| 1 | Emmanuel C. Narh | MDA (N.J.N.M) |
| 2 | William Asiedu-Akrofi | Municipal Crops Officer |
| 3 | Mad. Mercy Addobea Opare | Municipal Extension Officer |
| 4 | Mad. Rebecca Appiah | Municipal MIS officer |
| 5 | Obed Nsiah-Asare | Mun Eng and Project Officer |
| 6 | Mad. Juliana Kyerewaa Adu | Municipal Vertinary Officer |
- WHEN AND WHERE WAS THE MONITORING COMPLETED
| DATE | COMMUNITY |
| 06/04/22 | Basaare Nkwanta |
| 16/04/22 | Akwadum |
| 22/04/22 | Akwadum Mpaem |
| 07/05/22 | Suhyen Mpaem |
| 13/05/22 | Asikasu |
| 17/05/22 | Asokore |
| 24/05/22 | Jumapo |
| 03/06/22 | Suhyen |
| 15/06/22 | Fernandopo |
| 27//06/22 | Yaane |
- WHAT WAS MONITORED
- Field demonstrations established
- Yield plots established
- Coverage of PFJ in operational areas
- PERD seedling distribution and field establishments
- Interaction with various FBOs within the municipality
- Use of field note books and mandatory group involvement in planned activity implementation
- Use of planners
- Visit to taro demonstration
- Fall army worm situation
- Monitoring if general crop performance
- OUTCOME OF MONITORING
- Positive findings of monitoring
- Farmers motivation is evident; many more farmers are willing to participate in the agric activities.
- Farmers are now willing to practice/ incorporate a soil conservation practice in the course of their production.
- The erratic nature of the rainfall this year has forced the farmers to take the concept of climate smart agriculture.
- Most farmers are now fully aware of the existence of the fall army worm.
- Most farmers have also now taken to the split fertilizer application.
- All beneficiaries of the oil palm seedlings from the PERD project have intercropped their field with one commodity or the other.
- Some farmers are now willing to produce Taro seedlings on their own to expand their fields.
- Negative findings of monitoring
- Late release of MAG funds negatively affected the implementation of planned activities.
- Erratic rainfall this year negatively affected crop performance and for that matter low yield and output should be expected.
- Inadequate knowledge on the part of most farmers renders them ineffective in the area of adoption of new technologies (poor knowledge in the spray technology)
- Lack of commitment on the part of some FBO executives make the group dormant.
- The problem of some youth stealing the produce of farmers still continues thereby demoralizing victim farmers to expand their works.
- WHAT ISSUES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED
- The pilfering of some food items from farmer’s field.
- The problem of FBO formation and sustainability.
- Untimely release of funds for the conduct of activities.
- Inadequate release of funds at the time when prices of input continue to escalate.
- Capacity of most farmers to improve.
- WHAT ARE SOME LESSONS LEARNT
- Monitoring as an activity can perform magic. Farmers get excited when monitoring team visit them and so tend to do more and better express themselves.
- Central administration involvement in the monitoring afford them the opportunity to understand the workings of the Agric department.
- Farmers tend to be motivated by visitors. Usually more questions are asked when new face appear.
- Extension delivery using the demonstration approach is the best.
- WHAT IS THE MONITORING PLAN FOR THE FOLLOWING PERIOD
- This will be intensified in August to monitor the collection of field data (MRACLS).
- Focus will mostly be on the suggested corrective measures proposed.
- Monitor the performance of the PERD fields.
- CONCLUSION
The department of Agriculture is course of achieving the ultimate outcome of the MAG programme through the achievement of the intermediate outcomes, in the area of;
- Increased adoption of relevant production enhancing technology by farmers.
- Increased adoption of market oriented approaches to farm management by farmers.
- Increased private sector investment in sustainable agriculture input supply, production, marketing and processing.
H: Key Monitoring Findings and Recommendations
| No | ISSUES / CHALLENGES | RECOMMENDATIONS |
| 1 | Extreme weather conditions | a) More climate change activities should be implemented |
| 2 | Delay of release of funds from the Assembly for budgeted activities | b) Funds for work should be released on time |
GALLERY