AGRICULTURAL (CROP AND LIVESTOCK) IMPROVEMENTS/CROP AND VETERINARY RESEARCH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R001300700001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 16, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 19, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

.Approved For Refea a 6W ( tDP83-00423R00130
COUNTRY:
SUBJECT:
Madagascar
rinprov`emen7. "1
Es/Ctop 'aria' tterinary Research DATE 1' V C4 Vity
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Agricultural;(Crop,.nd Liv Atock)
PLACE ACQUIRED: Madagascar
DATE ACQUIRED: May 53
DATE OF INFORMATION: May 53
Thy
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'nmation affecting the national defense of
within the meaning of T1
Its transmission or reve
e, as amended.
reauthorized person
< :rne repronuczion or znis report is pronibitect.
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This UNEVALUATED INFORMATION is supplied for the possible interest of
It does not warrant dissemination by report. your analysts.
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1. For the past 25 years, the Colonial Government of Madagascar has been conducting
experiments in animal husbandry and farm crops in the Androy area in south
Madagascar. Up until 19+8, these experiments had proven to be unsatisfactory,
principally because there has been no cooperation by the natives, After the
19+7 revolution in Madagascar, noteable progress has been made in research
in the agricultural fields. This progress has been due to the Point-Four
Program, the coming of Swiss and French immigrants to the area and a program
of educating the natives.
2. The program of educating the natives eattsisted chiefly of getting the natives
to give up many of their old ideas of existence. For instance, natives were
very reluctant to give up their cattle for slaughter. Their religion, to a
degree, forbade this but they also looked upon their cattle as something to
have always as a part of the family. Hundreds of oxen-drawn plows of the US
type have been given to the natives and instructions of use were also furnished.
Only recently during the summer of 1953 have I seen possibly one out of five
native farmers use these plows. The spirit of competition, seeing a neighbor
get a better crop by using modern methods, has;within the past two or three
years helped in making the change.
3. The headquarters for agricultural research is in Ambovombe and is being
conducted on several government farms located in its vicinity. This particular
area is reported to be Madagascar's most fertile and productive area for
agricultural products.
4. Research in the veterinary department consists principally of improving the
strain of beef cattle, sheep and goats. This is being done by the importation
of desired strains from other countries. Sheep and goats come principally from
Australia and New Zealand. Cattle comes from France and other European countries.
On one of the larger government farms, this last summer, I saw one thousand head
of fine looking beef cattle ranging from calfs s steers ready for the market.
Wool from sheep and hair from goats are of fine quality and have a ready market
in France and other European countries.
5. As a result of the improvement in quality and quat1ty of livestock and the
cooperation of the native, the Colonial government has expanded and improved
their plants at Tulear, which is on the southwestern cast of Madagascar and
Antsirabe located about 50 miles southwest of Tananarive. The plant at Tulear
ig operated by native labor and is subjected to the strictness of government
inspection. Most of its products are canned for exports.
MAPS 1.4M
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6. Heading the crop research is Berard ffnu7 who is part native and part French
and who received his education in France. His speciality is plant pathology.
He is a christian and an anti-Communist. Berard is responsible for much of
the new enthusiasm shown by the natives for the improvement of their farms
and operations. On the various government farms used for crop research,
al; f which are located in the vicinity of Ambovombe, strips of various
crops are grown. This last summer 1953, I noticed growing on these experimental
strips peanuts, corn (seeds from the US) maize, varieties of beans, including
casterbeans, and sweet potatoes.
7. Experiments in sisal Are being conducted by local planters who have joined
together for thishurpose. Sisal from the Androy area is of long fiber and
of excellent quality and has a ready export market.
ME ACT-fATF INrnM.4-PATF AREA
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Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R001300700001-9