The District Officer of the Cocoa Merchant Company, a License Cocoa Buying Company at Duakwa in the Agona East District of the Central Region, Mr Randy Nkrumah, was interacting with the Ghana News Agency on the need for Agricultural Extension Officers to formulate policies that will help improve and develop rural women farmers in their plight against poverty. 

 "Agricultural extension furnishes rural people with the knowledge and assistance which enable them to farm well and more efficiently to increase food production, and for that matter enhance their income", Mr Nkruman said.

He said they also advise farmers on how to grow their own food with cheap, modern, scientific and appropriate farming methods and technologies, saying, all these contribute to help farmers and their families to appreciate the opportunities of rural life.

He said agricultural extension teaches rural people how to raise their standard of living by their own efforts, using their own material and manpower with minimum assistance from the government.

Mr Nkrumah urged agricultural extension agents to be proud of their profession, love their job and regard their experience as an opportunity, adding that, every good and efficient extension agent, besides the training he receives at college, should also possess the qualities of initiative, intellect, influence and integrity, among others. 

He said every competent rural development agent like an agricultural extension agent should have sincere interest in the rural farming people and their problems, because agriculture is the backbone of this country. 

Mr Nkrumah said extension officers or agents needed incentives to motivate them in their efforts.

He said despite the immense contributions of agriculture extension services to national development, the agricultural extension agents in the country are woefully inadequate.

He said there were numerous reasons why agricultural extension services have not been effective, and cited among others, unattractive condition of service of agricultural extension agents or workers, inadequate budgetary allocation to the sector, inadequate human resources of the department and lack of focus and attention to the department by successive governments.

Mr Nkrumah said with specific commitment and by focusing on its function of formulating and influencing national policies, extension officers would indeed help to "champion the cause of the vulnerable in the society".