Some selected 34 redeployed workers from Palms, Rubber and the Banana Estates of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) have been drilled on modern farm application techniques aimed at translating manual farm processes to computerized processes. After the training seminar, the 34 farm application clerks as they are known will be charged with the responsibility of managing the farm application basically by translating the manual activity report, crop statement and hectarage statement into computerized reports. It should be noted that before this seminar which took place at the CDC Moliwe Professional Training Centre, the participants had undergone two months manual field training after passing a tough selection test. This was to give them an insight of the reality on the ground.
In his opening remark at the Moliwe Professional Training Center, the Director of Human Resources, Henry Ikome Becke welcomed all present and urged them to take the training serious. He said it is very challenging to get into the farm application job because the core business of the CDC is the farm, thus any error will cause a lot of problem since the computer does not do anything by itself. They were told to put in quality and accurate data if they intend to have quality output. The farm application clerks were made to understand that the hectares achieved in the field is what leads to money being paid, thus they must be careful with the documents at their disposal. DHR also congratulated them for succeeding via the selection test and the fact that for the past two months they have been familiarizing themselves with field operations. Knowing fully well that they have a full background knowledge in field operations, it will be difficult for people to give fake figures, any doubt, they should seek for clarification from the Estate hierarchy. Therefore, they must not work like a robot. DHR appealed to them to take the training serious and to be inquisitive, because such forums may be rare to come by so they should share experiences.
During the training exercise, the Manager, Information System (MIS) reminded the participants that they should be committed and to take the training serious. MIS said this it is the base and it is very essential for them. Charles Ndang also said by the end of November, they must have finished setting up their parameters so that life operation on the application starts effectively in December, if not it will be difficult for them to succeed.
They were urged to use their guide as a bible. The pivotal role of their job will force many corrupt Managers to corrupt to them. MIS warned them against unscrupulous intentions. They were told to always inform their Managers if there is any irregularity discovered in the course of executing their job. According to Management plan, they are to use November 2013 to set up all their parameters, December 2013 to put inputs and January 2014, the full application goes operational. MIS also differentiated between the Farm Application clerk, the Payroll and the Accounts clerks. For the Payroll and Accounts clerks, every setup is keyed in the computer and they only debit and credit accounts. With the farm application clerk, they are responsible to set their parameters. And if they miss the current settings, the output will be unrealistic. Therefore, every year they must setup their own platform. To succeed “you must live in this program” says MIS, Charles Ndang.
Out of 39 participants, 34 were redeployed from the different Estates as farm application clerks, 2 from the Audit Department were invited to study the program for easy auditing by Auditors and 3 from the Management and Control Office who will be charged with consolation and control at the Group Offices and Head Office.
DHR reminded them that they are there at the Estate to support the commitments of MIS that farm application will take CDC to the next level. DHR even attested the fact that it worked in Meanja and if it did not work in other Estates, it was because it was a nuisance to other people who had negative tendencies. In fact, the General Manager (GM) Franklin Ngoni Njie had given his orientation that they should all join him, a coalition of positive forces to fight against the negative forces of the house so that they will forge ahead with their objectives. Having a very vital task to accomplish, CDC is not left out in the domain of IT, so they must guard against the imminent obstacles and maintain a high degree of credibility, duty consciousness, before they can question another person who wants to manipulate figures. Generally, the DHR urged them to be serious as they update their capacities. On behalf of the GM, he officially opened the seminar on farm application training.
The training was planned for 6 days. The FMAC were organized into two groups for the training with each group to undertake 3 days of training. The first group consisting of FMACs from the Rubber Sector used day 1 to day 3 while the second group made up of FMACs from the Palms and Banana Groups went through the training from day 4 to day 6.
The training ended successfully with the participants acknowledging satisfaction drawn from a questionnaire given to them at the end of the training to appraise all aspects of it. Certificates of participation for the trainees and those of recognition for the facilitators were awarded at the end.