Mission Statement:
The department will strive to promote marketing
to become an effective tool of agricultural
development by enacting policy and regulatory
framework that promotes value-adding, absorption
of local produce into markets and development of
efficient marketing systems and agri-businesses.
Overall Objectives:
To provide a marketing policy environment that
encourages private sector participation
diversified output according to the country’s
comparative/competitive advantages and
facilitates the development of efficient input
and output marketing systems.
The specific objectives, functions and staffing
structures of the Divisions are described below:
Objectives
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To develop and promote markets that
producers can service to increase their
output and or income;
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To have policies that effectively and
efficiently guide marketing development;
-
To equip and/or improve producers’
agri-business management and marketing
skills;
-
To maintain production – marketing
interfaces, between government departments
as well as producers and traders;
-
To facilitate investment in agri-business
developments.
Functions:
-
Institute, implement, review and promote
policies that guide marketing development;
-
Facilitate institution of marketing laws and
regulations that guide and control marketing
practices and behavior;
-
Licenses agricultural traders;
-
Regulate imports and exports of controlled
agricultural products;
-
Provide training and agri-business advisory
services;
-
Inform the public of market developments,
trends and opportunities:
-
Undertake market research to identify
problems and opportunities;
-
To identify technologies that would enhance
market performance and increase value adding
and also facilitate transfer of appropriate
technologies and know-how;
-
Facilitate with the provision of appropriate
physical and institutional infrastructure
and communication networks.
In order to perform the above functions, the
Department of Marketing is divided into two
divisions, namely: Market Development and
Extension and Agri-business Development and
Promotion. The specific objectives and functions
of these Divisions are provided below.
5.4.1 Agri-Business and Promotion
Objectives:
i. To increase agri-business opportunities and
investment in the country;
ii. To increase value of output and/or income of
producers;
iii. To improve technical and allocative
efficiency within the agri-business industry.
Functions:
i. Identify and promote agri-business
opportunities for investment by potential
companies economic units;
ii. Develop agri-enterprise budgets to form
enterprise choice by producers and determine
economic units;
iii. Identify appropriate processing techniques
and technologies to improve value-adding
opportunities;
iv. Assist potential investors to procure
relevant technologies;
v. Train potential investors in the new
techniques and follow-up from time to time;
vi. Assist local entrepreneurs to secure credit
and provide business counseling.
5.4.2 Market Development and Extension
Objectives:
i. Facilitate absorption of input and output
into markets;
ii. Facilitate market transparency and informed
decision-making as well as improved production
and marketing planning;
iii. Facilitate the development of efficient
price determination or discovery mechanisms;
iv. Assist farmers execute their marketing plans
and achieve desired results;
v. Send market signals to technical/production
department of government to be translated into
production programmes.
Functions:
i. Development of appropriate programmes and
plans to implement or change marketing policies;
ii. Develop project for the establishment of
appropriate marketing infrastructure;
iii. Issue licenses, import/export permits to
control marketing trade;
iv. Facilitate the development of appropriate
grades and standards and introduce them to the
public;
v. Monitor the activities of producers and
traders to check if they conform to the set
standards/regulation, and otherwise take
appropriate action;
vi. Offer training and advice to producers and
traders on issues related to marketing;
vii. Liaise and co-ordinate activities of
relevant international organisations;
viii. Develop efficient marketing information
systems;
ix. Liaise with production/technical departments
on the development of coherent production and
marketing plans and programmes;
x. Encourage and support development of
marketing institutions such as boards and
marketing committees to improve bargaining power
and organization of activities;
xi. Facilitate constant dialogue between
producers, traders and Government.
5.4.3 Wool and Mohair Laboratory
Objectives:
i. To improve productivity and quality of wool
and mohair fibre;
ii. To provide wool and mohair producers with
information on the performance of their breeding
stock, in relation to market requirements;
iii. To evaluate the effectiveness of the
introduced small ruminants breeding stock and
breeding methods;
Functions:
i. Collect samples on flocks and fibre clips to
assess performance of individual flocks;
ii. Translate performance test information into
the required husbandry practices that are
consistent with fibre traits requires by the
market;
iii. Liaise with other international fibre
testing organisations and relevant government
department;
iv. Maintain equipment and make project
proposals to acquire technology to enable the
country achieve acceptable testing standards. |
