News
April 24-2013
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Roger Clarke this morning officially announced the appointment of Lenworth Fulton as Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), whose stewardship of the organization officially takes place on Wednesday May 1-2013.
Mr. Fulton leaves his position as Executive Director of the Jamaica 4 H clubs, a position he held for 12 years.
Mr. Fulton is a graduate of the Jamaica School of Agriculture (JSA) now College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) and the Tuskegee University in the United States where he obtained a Diploma in General Agriculture and a BSC in Economics respectively.
In a statement to the staff, board and media, it was said that Mr. Fulton is expected to bring a wealth of experience in management, agriculture, and economics.
Mr. Fulton has had extensive experience working with international and local agencies in Jamaica including the USAID, FAO, CVSS/United Way, National Youth Service, JAS as well as the Jamaica School of Agriculture- amongst others.
In his introduction of the new CEO and his thanks to the outgoing CEO Harold Spaulding, Minister Clarke said that under Mr. Spaulding’s tenure as CEO, the Authority is now in a better position to deliver more effective outcomes for the Agricultural Sector.
Mr. Spaulding served a six month period as CEO of the Authority.
According to Minister Clarke the move to have Mr. Fulton head the Authority is in line with a strategic plan… to link the youths in Agriculture, ostensibly those affiliated with the 4H from which Mr. Fulton hails, with mainstream Agriculture; now in his role as RADA CEO.
The Minister also announced the addition of five new board members, four of which are females; a planned move to have appropriate gender representation on the board.
This Minister Clarke explained is definitely to influence some of the crucial agenda items for agriculture in Jamaica, such as having more women and more young people involved in the sector.
The Minister says he feels very optimistic about the future of the sector with the new way forward that has been crafted by the board in tandem with the Ministry and RADA.
In addition, Chairman of the National RADA Board Dr. Dentil Williams - while lauding Mr. Spaulding’s efficient handling of the Authority’s business, attributed many measurable improvements to Mr. Spaulding’s management of the Authority; including vast improvements in report delivery; as required by the Government of Jamaica.
He predicted that RADA should be one of the top government entities that are leading in the area of annual report delivery, as processes are already underway to ensure that by 2014 the annual reports of the RADA… are in line with the year being reported on, instead of being two years behind.
Dr. Williams added that the Board has identified several areas for its strategic movement to enable the best performance of the Authority.
The areas he cited were the Re-Imaging of RADA, Better Workforce Management, Increasing the Staff Morale and a Revision and Revamping of how RADA is funded.
The funding of RADA activities he advised, are of particular focus as RADA recurrent budget allocation has been cut from 3.1 billion dollars to 2point 9 billion which is inadequate, for the agencies mandate.
He re-iterated that the continued recertification of extension officers is crucial to the strategies to improve the RADA’s performance of its mandate, which is to provide farmers with effective extension service.
Dr. Williams also said that training in this area has been scheduled in the short-term and is to be continued in the medium and long-term.
He added that RADA will be targeting senior management, as management is both an art and a science which needs to be inculcated in the RADA senior executive.
This he believes will improve the effective performance of the organization.
The function was held today Wednesday April 24-2013 in the board room of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Hope Gardens Kingston 6.
Photos: Photo (1) RADA's New CEO Lenworth Fulton shares lense time with out going CEO Harold Spaulding, Photo (2) from left Lenworth Fulton, Harold Spaulding and RADA National Board Chairman Dr. Densil Williams, Photo (3) New RADA CEO from left Lenworth Fulton, outgoing CEO Harold Spaulding and Deputy National RADA board Chairman Dr. Andre Gordon Photo (4) Senior RADA Executives and Board Members Dialogue at the Function held to say goodbye to Mr. Spaulding and welcome to Mr. Fulton, Photo (5) RADA Board Secretary Celia Miles standing alongside other senior RADA colleagues during RADA function for CEOs, Photos (6) Outgoing CEO Harold Spaulding receives a plaque of appreciation from National RADA Board Chairman Dr. Densil Williams, Photo (7) RADA's new CEO Lenworth Fulton
