Dowa District Council Purchases Motorcycles for Agriculture Extension Workers

Dowa District Council has procured 11 motorcycles to address mobility challenges faced by its Agriculture Extension Development Officers (AEDOs) across all Extension Planning Areas (EPAs).

This initiative draws inspiration from a model adopted in Machinga District, where lead farmers, clubs, cooperatives, and associations contribute an annual recognition fee to the council.

Speaking during the handover ceremony at the agriculture offices in Mponela, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Services, Kenneth Chaula, expressed enthusiasm, highlighting the positive impact the motorcycles will have on service delivery.

“Our extension workers face significant challenges, including limited mobility, which hinders household visits to farmers. This burden on the government has been eased by contributions from farmers, enabling better service delivery,” he said.

Chaula expressed confidence that the motorcycles would enable AEDOs to visit farmers more frequently, providing guidance on adopting good agricultural practices to boost productivity in the district.

Dowa District Commissioner, Stallich Mwambiwa, echoed these sentiments, explaining that the motorcycles were purchased using funds collected through the annual subscriptions.

“As a predominantly agriculture-based district, we recognized the need to address mobility challenges for our extension workers to improve responsiveness and support to farmers,” Mwambiwa said.

Daniel Chisale, an Agriculture Extension Development Officer from the Mponela EPA, acknowledged the motorcycles’ significance in expanding coverage, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

“This will help us reach more farmers, especially those in remote areas, and enhance our ability to serve them effectively,” Chisale noted.

In addition to the motorcycles, the council has also invested in bags of fertilizer, maize seed, chemicals, sprayers, and other farm inputs to support its mega farm project.