CROP DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

Objective
To provide expertise and services on crop development.
Functions

• To formulate, review and monitor implementation of
  crop development policies, legislations and rules
• To develop crop development strategies and programmes
• To build capacity of RS and LGAs in crop development
• To promote sustainable agriculture

Extension Services Section

• Plant Health Services Section
• Agricultural Inputs Section
• Crop Promotion Services Section

 Extension Services Section

The Section will perform the following activities:-

• Advise on policy formulation and strategies for extension services
• Establish, introduce and improve extension services methodologies for use in Local Government Authorities
• Establish standards for extension services delivery and monitor their implementation
• Provide technical guidelines to RS, LGAs and farmers and advise on good agricultural practices (GAP) including traceability
• Develop and disseminate technical extension packages for use in RS and LGAs
• Promote sustainable agriculture
• Monitor and evaluate extension services provision
• Facilitate research extension farmer linkages
• Build capacity of RS and LGAs to provide technical advisory services to farmers
• Coordinate and facilitate extension services providers (Local Government, Private Sector)
• Provide advisory services on agricultural exhibitions
• Facilitate in-service training of extension workers
• Promote the use of information communication technology in extension services delivery and develop extension data bank

Plant Health Services Section

The Section will perform the following activities:-

• Facilitate crop pest management
• Facilitate Inspection and Photo-sanitary Certification
• Facilitate RS and LGAs to provide internal Plant Quarantine services
• Coordinate Management of outbreak of pests and diseases
• Coordinate Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Bio Control Services
• Provide regulatory services on registration and sound management of pesticides
• Control of quality and standards of plant protection substances
• Enforce Plant Protection Legislation
• Promote the use of information, communication technology and develop and maintain plant health data bank
• Monitor bio-safety and bio-security aspects in agriculture

Crop Promotion Services Section

The Section will perform the following activities:-

• Provide advise on strategies for increasing production
• Promote production of strategic and competitive crops
• Develop and maintain Government Orchards for multiplication and dissemination of improved varieties of horticultural crops
• Facilitate promotion of commercial farming including contract farming
• Provide advise on production of crops based on agro – ecological zones
• Facilitate promotion of drought tolerant crops
• Provide advise on sub sector policies on strategic and competitive crops
• Provide advise on potential areas for production of crops
• Provide advise on potential areas for production of crops for local and export markets
• Provide advise on enforcement of crop industry legislation and guidelines
• Set and enforce quality standards on production and processing of traditional and non-traditional export crops
• Prepare quarterly and annual crop promotion reports and disseminate to stakeholders

Agricultural Inputs Section

The Section will perform the following activities:‑

• Initiate and review policies and strategies on agricultural inputs
• Inspect and certify crop varieties
• Control quality of seed varieties
• Facilitate promotion of on-farm seed production (Quality Declared Seed [QDS])
• Promote private sector participation in seed production
• Enforce agricultural inputs legislation (fertilizers and seeds)
• Process and register new seed varieties,' seed farms and seed dealers
• Establish national supply and demand for Agro-Inputs distribution and utilization
• Establish and enforce appropriate inputs delivery systems
• Build capacity of RS and LGAs Extension staff to provide advisory services on appropriate handling and use of agricultural inputs
• Develop Agricultural Inputs Databank