- 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 January to March, 2022, and the monitoring is 10 days to cover all 10 Operational Areas.
Summary of Monitoring findings and Action Taken
- Who completed the monitoring (names and titles);
| No. | Name | Title |
| 1 | Mr Emmanuel Courage Narh | MDA |
| 2 | Miss Mercy Addobea opare | MAO – EXT OFFICER |
| 3 | Mr Williams Asiedu-Akrofi | MAO – CROPS/PPRS OFFICER |
| 4 | Miss Rebecca Appiah | MISO/WIAD OFFICER |
| 5 | Dr. Juliana K. Adu | MAO – VET OFFICER |
| 6 | Mr Obed Asare-Nsiah | MAO – ENGINEERING |
- When and where the monitoring was completed;(communities visited)
| Date | Community |
| 10/02/2022 | Suhyen Mpaem |
| 16/02/2022 | Baasare Nkwanta |
| 19/02/2022 | Akwadum |
| 23/02/2022 | Oyoko |
| 25/02/2022 | Fernadopo |
| 08/03/2022 | Asikesu |
| 02/03/2022 | Jumapo |
| 03/03/2022 | Suhyen |
| 10/03/2022 | Effiduase |
| 10/03/2022 | Kofikrom |
- What was monitored;[ Provide the names of programmes / projects / interventions (FAW, demonstrations, etc) monitored]
- The use of mixture of organic compost and inorganic fertilizers application to obtain good soil management with farmers in the Municipality
- PERD activities on the transplanted fields to train beneficiaries on GAPs
- Various Agro-Input shops to ascertain the level of preparedness of the implementation of the PFJ
- Various sensitization on-going in the Municipality in the area of FAW, PFJ, modalities and climate change issues.
- Data collection on MRACLS by AEAs
- The use of Planner and Route Maps
- FBO organization
- Outcome of various taro adaptive trials established.
- Objective / purpose of monitoring visit
The purpose or objective of the monitoring is to ensure the best of work executed on all the work planned of the year, good Extension services delivered to farmers, positive results obtained from some projects executed, and also get the necessary facts for evaluation.
- Positive Findings
- AEAs are being responsive as visit to farmers have been seen to be regular
- Most taro demonstrations are found to be doing well, excerpt but for the pronounced drought that is being experienced now.
- Farmers are now fully aware of the FAW menace, and are ready to coop with it.
- Negative Findings
- FBO formation remains a challenge as groups interacted with are still not meeting the full status of a matured FBO
- Some farmers that benefited from the PERD oil palm seedlings have not planted them to date despite several warnings
- Time of release of funds for the implementation of PERD activities is not the best, and is affecting the establishment of the nursery
-What issues need to be addressed;
- The issue of delay in fund release to carry out PERD activities on time.
- FBO leadership lacks the requisite skills and knowledge required to operate as an FBO
- The issue of funding for the various FBOs to conduct various activities.
-What are some of the lessons learned;
- Difficult farmers will only co-operate only when they know of an impending monitoring visit.
- Some Taro demonstration sites have been invaded, and this attest to the fact that people really like the Taro, and so market will not be difficult
` –What is the monitoring plan for the following period?
- Much more attention will be given to the works of the deficient AEAs and serious backstopping in the area of the technical delivery
- A consideration will be given to their trainings to bridge the gap identified
- Much more attention will be given to the PERD nursery site to forestall any problem and ensure timely implementation of planned activities.
- The second quarter monitoring will involve the leadership of the Assembly
Table 1.10: Key Monitoring Findings and Recommendations
| No | ISSUES / CHALLENGES | MITIGATION MEASURES | RECOMMENDATIONS |
| 1 | Extreme weather conditions | Implementation of climate smart measures | a) More climate change activities should be implemented |
| 2 | Delay in funds for budgeted activities | – | b) Funds for work should be released on time |
| 3 | Delay in PFJ inputs | Excess security of inputs for future use | c) Agric Policy makers should speed up decisions for PFJ inputs to be released earlier in the year |