Zimbabwe: Ministry Recruits Engineers

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) 10 January 2008 01/11/2008

THE Ministry of Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation and Irrigation has made progress in its recruitment drive for engineers. The ministry has been stung by a high staff turnover. Engineers have resigned in hordes, and their departure has threatened the very survival of the agricultural mechanisation programme. Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation and Irrigation Minister Dr Joseph Made said they had so far completed the appointment of posts at deputy director level. He said the ministry had also held interviews for different posts and they were waiting for the disbursement of monies that were allocated to the ministry under its vote in the 2008 budget. Dr Made said they were actively engaging the Public Service Commission during the recruitment process. He said that due to the shortage of engineers and technicians in the country the ministry was working with agricultural colleges and universities in its quest to get required personnel. He said that graduates from these colleges were going to receive on-the-job training. Dr Made also disclosed that they were looking at offering attachments to students training at universities and colleges. He also intimated that his ministry was concerned about the welfare of its engineers and technicians and was looking at providing them with attractive conditions of service. "We are not just looking at the salaries but other things as well, their accommodation and mobility as well," he said. With regard to the setting-up of workshops at provincial, district and ward level from which the engineers and technicians would operate, Dr Made said the exercise was awaiting the disbursement of $5 trillion set aside in the budget for this purpose. The minister, however, said they were looking at utilising existing infrastructure, and help remove the burden of infrastructure development. "There are a lot of A2 farmers that have infrastructure that they are not using and we are looking at using those structures temporarily while we construct permanent structures,"he said. He said that they were working with the Ministry of Lands, Land Resources and Resettlement on the issue. Dr Made said his ministry was well aware of the need for technicians and engineers in view of the additional machinery that has been allocated to farmers apart from tractors, such as combine harvesters, planters, hay balers and boom sprayers. He said the ministry was also cognisant of its role of revamping agriculture infrastructure such as greenhouses, tobacco barns and crop dryers as well as spearheading the construction of sheds for plant, equipment and machinery. "We have been put firmly in the seat and we clearly understand our role as a ministry," he said. He said the ministry was also looking at irrigation equipment with emphasis being on completing unfinished projects. Dr Made said while the recent rains had brought their own problems, the excess rains were likely to present a boom for the winter crop if the rains are adequately harvested and irrigation equipment is made available. The ministry in November advertised various engineering posts, covering engineering, mechanisation and irrigation. Some of the advertised posts were for engineers specialising in irrigation and drainage, soil and water conservation, animal power training, tractor power training and rural technical training. Other engineers required were those into farm power and machinery, post-harvest mechanical support, planning, quality standards and research. Dr Made in October indicated that his ministry was setting up training and maintenance workshop across the country in support of the farm mechanisation programme. He said the centres would offer specialised service to the farmers that received machinery under the mechanisation programme. He said competent engineers would man the training and maintenance workshops. In addition to the training centres, he said the ministry would continue to offer expert advice on the importation of tractors. Dr Made said their main focus was on indicating the right make of tractors that are suited for the Zimbabwean environment and the types of soil in the country. Most of the farmers, especially those in the A2 category, who received implements under the Farm Mechanisation Programme have had to undergo training since most of the equipment needs expert handling. The mechanisation programme is a three-year national scheme that seeks to empower indigenous farmers who were allocated land through the provision of specialised machinery such as combine harvesters, tractors and hay bailers, among others. Enditem