About Us

Overview and Mandate of the Directorate

The Department of Agriculture prioritize the development of appropriate agricultural skills among those previously excluded to ensure equitable participation in the agricultural sector. In this regard, a dedicated unit in the Department for the promotion of appropriate agricultural skills was established. This unit came to be known as Education, Training and Extension Services. The mandate of the Directorate Education, Training and Extension Services is derived from the following legislations.

• The Skills Development Act (Act No 97 of 1997)
• The Skills Development Levies Act
• The Higher Education Act (Act 101 of 1997)
• The Further Education and Training Colleges Bill, 2006
• The White Paper on Education
• The Sector Strategic Plan, 2001
• The national Agricultural Education and Training Strategy, 2005

Purpose

The purpose of the Directorate Education, Training and Extension Services is to ensure that farmers and other Stakeholders access appropriate agricultural skills for the development of agriculture as an industry. In order to achieve this, the directorate will prioritise the following:

• Develop and facilitate the implementation of the national Agricultural Education and Training Strategy.
• Develop a Performance Improvement Plan for Extension and Advisory Service.
• Developed an implementation Plan for future Governance of Colleges of Agriculture.
• Develop and Publish reports on agricultural education and training.
• Develop and implement targeted training programmes.
• Ensure the generation of appropriate agricultural qualifications for the advancement of agriculture.
• Liaise with agricultural line function Sector Education and Training Authorities to ensure alignment of their work with the strategic priorities of the Department.
• Facilitate the development of Implementation Protocol between the Departments of Agriculture and Education for the advancement of agricultural education and training.
• Coordinate and manage agricultural international training.

Clients of the Directorate

The following are the Clients of the Directorate Education, Training and Extension Services:

• Provincial Departments of Agriculture
• Faculties of Agriculture in Institutions of Higher Learning
• Agricultural High Schools
• Further Education and Training Institutions with agricultural offerings
• Agricultural Line Function SETAs
• Colleges of Agriculture
• Agricultural CBOs and NGOs
• Farmers
• South African Youth
• National African Farmers Union (NAFU)
• AgriSA
• Transvaal Agricultural Union
• Directorates/Functional Units in the Department of Agriculture

Contact details

Mr Mokutule Joe Kgobokoe
Director: Education, Training and Extension Services

Department of Agriculture: Agriculture Place
20 Beatrix Street, Arcadia, PRETORIA, 0007

Private Bag X 250, PRETORIA, 0001

Tel: 012 - 319 7028
Fax: 012 - 319 7271
Email: DETES@nda.agric.za