Coffee officials told to focus, serve farmers

THE productive partnerships in agriculture project has reminded officers employed under the industry rehabilitation partnerships to serve farmers first.
Project manager Potaisa Hombunaka told the 42 officers attending a training at Ukarumpa in Aiyura Valley, Eastern Highlands, that they were there to serve the farmers first.
“If you focus on the pay, you will lose focus. You’re here to serve the farmers,” he said.
The training which started on Monday is being attended by project coordinators, data entry clerks, extension officers and field assistants employed by the four partnerships under Call 3 and 4.
The partnerships are CDA Goroka, Hatavile Coffee Ltd, Research and Conservation Foundation (Crater mountain farmers) and Obura-Wonenara Coffee Cooperative Society.
The objective is to ensure that project coordinators, extension officers, data entry clerks and field assistants understand what is required of them as a team to deliver coffee rehabilitation activities and reviving existing gardens.
The officers are also expected to report accurately the input activities such as the distribution of tools and nursery seedlings.
They also should monitor outputs in terms of production, quality and other factors associated with increase in farmers’ livelihood.
Bill Humphrey, Component Two coordinator for the Eastern Zone said the training was for field assistants helping extension officers.
“But team building is a constant process. This is why we are bringing everyone so they understand their responsibilities and where field officers come in to support the whole operation process,” he said.