VEGETABLE FARMING IN THE COMORES. PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS. CULTURES MARAICHERES AUX COMORES: PROBLEMS ET FUTUR.

Considerable efforts have been made, both at the technical and human resources levels, to promote vegetable farming. However, the development of vegetable crop production is subject to some obstacles which are mostly socio-economic. These include a lack of training programmes for farmers, a shortage of extension officers and a low vegetable consumption level. There is also a lack of roads, inter-island traffic is very irregular and storage facilities almost non-existant. Additionally, irrigation is not possible on the island of Grand Comore where rivers are non-existant and water resources limited.

An increase in agricultural production is considered by The Comorian Government as an absolute priority. Self-sufficiency in vegetables appears to be feasible within a relatively short period. For this reason, the development of vegetable crops is among the objectives of the new structure, created in 1980, to promote rural development. This structure consists of a Federal Centre (CEFADER) and Regional Rural Development Centres (CADER).

In the field of vegetable production, the activities are as follows:

• at the technical level: improvement of cultural practices and the introduction of new cultivars and species.
• at the human resources level: dissemination of information on the advantages of vegetable consumption via the radio and through visits by extension officers, demonstrations on gardening and cooking by the home economics extension staff and village extension agents.

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