Standards of Husbandry

HC Deb 30 July 1963 vol 682 cc44-6W

Mr. Bottomley

asked the Secretary of Stats for the Colonies what steps are being taken in the High Commission Territories in southern Africa to improve the standards of husbandry by means of agricultural demonstrators and other methods.

Mr. Sandys

In Basutoland there are 9 senior demonstrators, 37 demonstrators, and 97 assistant demonstrators. These officers are assisted by 90 unqualified staff who are being replaced each year by qualified men from the Agricultural Training School. Thirty more officers are expected to qualify next month. The aim is to have one demonstrator or extension agent per 600 households.

In animal husbandry work the demonstrators are assisted by 30 qualified veterinary assistants and 200 stock assistants.

Four training farms provide refresher courses and it is planned to convert these into agricultural institutes as soon as possible. Credit is being made available to progressive farmers for seed, fertilisers and insecticides through the co-operatives and the agricultural development funds.

In the Bechuanaland Protectorate, as a result of the Agricultural Department's extension programme there are now approximataely 1,000 pupil, progressive and master farmers, who have acquired a scientific approach to agriculture which has greatly increased their yields. There are 10 senior agricultural demonstrators, 82 demonstrators and 19 assistant demonstrators, whose work is supervised by 14 professional and technical officers. Veterinary work in the Territory employs about 50 professional officers and 200 supporting staff.

Grants have been given by the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief towards the establishment of an agricultural demonstrator training school and a co-operative department.

In Swaziland 122 agricultural demonstrators and 160 cattle-guards are employed by the Department of Agriculture.

Farmers' associations and women's and young farmers' groups are encouraged, and a co-operative officer has recently been appointed.

The Agricultural Training Centre at Malkerns produces about 20 qualified demonstrators a year and selected demonstrators are being sent to Britain for diploma courses. An agricultural college is also planned, at which two year agricultural diploma courses will be offered.

Further information is given in annual Agricultural Department reports. I am sending the hon. Member copies of the reports for Basutoland and Swaziland and will send him a copy of the report for the Bechuanaland Protoectorate as soon as possible.