Anjouan sustainable agriculture

The project will promote soil conservation and fertility by (1) planting contour strips, using a mixture of grasses, nitrogen-fixing tree species, and shade-tolerant cash crops (e.g., vanilla) that use the trees as climbing support; and (2) constructing terraces between the strips. Food rations will be distributed as an incentive for the contour plantings. To diversify crop production, the project will provide seed and plant materials both for less common subsistence crops and for a wider range of cash crops. Centralized nurseries will be established; nursery production will be supplemented by the planting of cuttings and the use of direct-seeding at the farmer level. The extension program will continue the successful focus area (rather than village level) approach developed under 6020001, and will use group activities such as demonstrations, field days, exchange visits to other focus areas, seminars, and hands-on training to introduce the range of interventions to farmers in a specific focus area. Specific problems will be identified and solved through regular contacts between individual farmers and the extensionist in their area. The project will promote the formation of focus area committees; it is expected that these committees will continue to operate a farmer-to-farmer extension program after the project ends, as it is unlikely that the government can financially sustain extension services. A program of extension for the general community will also be developed, using posters, videos, cassettes, etc. to disseminate information on the need for tree planting, protection of the forest, and watershed related issues. A new experimental component will explore the potential for an environmental education training program for primary and secondary school teachers. Extension agents from CARE and participating national organizations such as the Federal Center for Rural Development (CEFADER) will be equipped for their work through training in communications skills and informal education techniques and visits to successful projects in nearby countries. A special effort will be made to recruit female extension agents to interact with women farmers.