Sarah Baartman District DoA Hosts Annual Extension Awards to Honour Excellence in Agricultural Service

The Department of Agriculture (DoA) in the Sarah Baartman District, which includes the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro under the DoA demarcation, hosted its Annual Extension Awards to celebrate excellence in agricultural extension and veterinary services. The event recognized officials who have gone above and beyond in providing support and advisory services to farmers across the district.

Acting District Director, Dr Lungile Jali, congratulated all the winners and encouraged extension officers to continue performing at a high standard. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between extension and veterinary officials.
“As Extension and Vet officials, we need to work together and strive to improve the lives of our communities. Let’s not allow challenges to prevent us from supporting our farmers,” Dr Jali said.

Provincial Director of Extension and Advisory Services, Noluvuyo Nqeno, echoed this message and called for stronger teamwork within the agricultural sector. She highlighted the need for extension officers to stay responsive and relevant to farmers’ needs.
“Let’s position ourselves as part of every challenge and solution needed. We should not work in silos in order to achieve the goal of serving our people,” she said.

During the ceremony, Thozamile Lukhalo expressed optimism about the future, noting that he looked forward to seeing new entrants in the awards next year. He said that new participants would be a sign of continuous improvement and stronger service delivery to farmers in the district.

The winners for the 2025 Sarah Baartman District DoA Annual Extension Awards were announced as follows:
• Best Extension Candidate – Asiphe Mbenga
• Certificated Extension Category – Athenkosi Maseti
• Winner for Professional Category – Gcotyelwa Nkohla
• Technical Support Category – Sibabalwe Ngishe

The Annual Extension Awards serve as a key motivation for agricultural officers in the Eastern Cape, promoting excellence and innovation in extension and advisory services. Through their efforts, farmers receive the necessary guidance to improve productivity, sustainability, and livelihoods across rural communities.