The Maryland County Agriculture Office has received a brand-new pickup, and three agricultural motorbikes from the Ministry of Agriculture.
County officials say, the intervention will greatly improve the office’s ability to deliver services to farmers in the nine districts.
For years, the agriculture office has struggled with transportation challenges to the extent that agricultural extension officers had difficulty reaching remote farming communities in Pleebo, Harper, Karluway, Barrobo, and other districts due to bad roads, and the lack of mobility.
“The absence of reliable transport has limited our field visits, farmer training, and monitoring of agricultural activities. This new support changes that.”
With the new vehicle, and motorbikes, extension agents will now be able to distribute inputs, conduct farm visits, provide technical training, and collect data more efficiently.
The County Agriculture Office has commended the Minister of Agriculture a “timely, and practical intervention” to strengthen food production.
However, officials said, the impact of the donation will depend on proper maintenance, transparent use, and strict adherence to agricultural purposes only.
“We welcome this support, but we also have a responsibility to protect these assets. They must be used to serve farmers, and not for private purposes.”
The improved mobility is expected to increase farmer outreach in hard-to-reach communities, strengthen coordination between the county office, and local cooperatives, improve monitoring of crops, livestock, and climate-smart practices, and ultimately contribute to higher productivity, improved food security, and better livelihoods for farmers.
With planting season approaching, county authorities say, the new fleet will enable officers to be “on the farms, with the farmers, when they need us the most.”
