🌾 Department of Agriculture Services

The Department of Agriculture Services is responsible for the provision of agricultural extension services to farmers in Luangwa district, in line with the Ministry of Agriculture’s mandate to develop a diversified, competitive and sustainable agricultural sector for food, nutrition and income security.

This mandate is derived from the Government Gazette Notice No. 1123 of 2021.

📌 Sections

• Agriculture
• Agribusiness & Marketing
• Human Resource & Administration

🧩 Functions

• Promote the use of improved crop varieties and certified seed
• Promote efficient use of water resources for irrigation
• Promote high-value irrigable crops among small and medium-scale farmers
• Promote establishment of irrigation schemes for small-scale farmers
• Promote Public-Private Partnerships in research dissemination
• Promote income-generating ventures at the Farmer Training Centre
• Promote private sector participation in agricultural input and output markets
• Strengthen farmer groups and cooperatives in production, processing, marketing and trade
• Promote a pay-back culture in agricultural credit management
• Promote agricultural insurance
• Strengthen coordination among sector stakeholders
• Promote diversification of agricultural production and utilisation
• Promote indigenous and nutrient-rich food varieties
• Determine and reduce post-harvest losses
• Develop and promote water harvesting and storage infrastructure
• Promote climate-resilient agricultural production methods
• Promote environmentally friendly and climate-smart farming systems
• Promote gender mainstreaming and capacity building in the agriculture sector

📤 Functions that have been Devolved

• Extension Services – Crop production, Food & Nutrition, Irrigation, Farm Power & Mechanisation, and Land Management
• Agri-business & Marketing