§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Lord Privy Seal what investigations have been undertaken in the last 10 years into the possibilities of improving agriculture on St. Helena; and what developments have been undertaken or are contemplated.
§ Mr. Neil Marten[pursuant to his reply, 25 July 1980, c. 402]: There have been numerous investigations undertaken in the past 10 years, mainly under the auspices of the land resources development centre of the Overseas Development Administration. Apart from general land utilisation, the bulk of this research has covered the potential for irrigation, geology and soil surveys.
Progress has been made on flax clearance to facilitate pasture improvement and afforestation programmes; and a saw mill and a timber treatment plant have been established. Further work is in hand to extend the afforestation programme to the arid lowlands, where it is hoped that fuel and fodder species can be established and erosion halted.
An agricultural development authority has been set up to farm Government land on commercial lines in an endeavour to reduce the island's reliance on imports of meat and other foods. Assistance has also been provided to local farmers in order to stimulate small scale private production. One irrigation storage tank has been completed and another is nearing completion; these will provide water for the irrigation of horticultural gardens cultivated by individual farmers. Further development of small-scale irrigation 854W awaits the outcome of studies which are under way.