Agricultural Extension Handbook: Workshop on revising and adding handbook held

The Department of Agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation conducted a workshop on revising and adding the agricultural extension handbook at Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Center, Yezin, Naypyitaw in the morning on 25th January with the presence of Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Dr. Tin Htut.

In his opening remark, the Deputy Minister said that the agricultural education was initiated in the year 1901 when the Department of Agriculture was form in Myanmar.

The agricultural extensions in consecutive eras are the Training and Visiting System in 1974, Township wide special high yielding projects in 1975, implementation of rice special high yielding zones in 61 townships in 1999-2000, implementation for special high yielding of rice in 14 scientific agricultural extensions in 2010-2015.

The book of duties and functions for extension staffs was published in 1991 for the extension of agricultural technology, Agricultural Extension Human Resource Development Project -AEHRD Project which was jointly implemented by JICA and Department of Agriculture also published “Model Agricultural extension staff handbook in 2011.The agricultural extensions used in the past and the present can be seen in this agricultural extension handbook to be revised and added.

The relevant departments and agricultural universities are urged to give suggestions to the agricultural research and agricultural extension coordination committee. Next, the Director General Dr. Ye Tint Tun of the Department of Agriculture clarified the implementation of Myanmar Agricultural extension performance enhancement project and efforts for publishing Myanmar Agricultural Extension Handbook.

Then, the workshop was conducted and the relevant experts carried out discussion on one by one case study and roundtable discussion, it’s learnt.