The capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo is near the sea. The fresh air and beautiful weather complement the friendly people and the enchanting scenery. In Dominica the ROC agricultural mission is headquartered an eighty-minute drive away from Santo Domingo.

Cooperation between the Republic of China and the Dominican Republic has a history dating back to 1963. On November of that year the two countries signed a joint technical agreement and a six-member team departed from Taiwan eleven days later. The agreement aimed at promoting ways to raise agricultural productivity and living standards in the two countries.

The ROC government allocated US$60,000 to get the mission started. The Dominican government supplied land and six technicians to assist the mission. By selling the farm's produce funds gradually accumulated to the point that they paid for the wage bill at the mission. The mission's efforts over the past decade have won the support of the Dominicans who now finance the mission's laboratory as well as provide transportation and administrative assistance.

The mission has tended to concentrate on research work and its members are all highly qualified, including one Ph. D., two M.Sc.s and ten university graduates. Together they make an impressive research team.

The current mission leader is Hseh Ying-to, an agricultural science graduate of the National Taiwan University. When he took over the job from Chao Lien-fang 16.5 years ago, he was urged to pay special attention to research. "Chao told us that research work is of lasting value as it requires even more specialist know-how and expertise than running a demonstration farm does." Hsieh realized that after seeing a demonstration farm a few times the effect soon wears off. Engaging in research work where each step made together with local agricultural scientists depends on the work already done, must be, in the long run, of more significance.

"In agricultural work, we are always on the lookout for new and better strains for the local farmers. Each year the results are different. By that, I mean each year provides new challenges for us to meet," says Hsieh enthusiastically.

Promoting the use of new strains of rice throughout Dominica, the country's rice productivity has more than doubled in the last ten years and unit productivity has increased 2.5 times, reducing the dependence on imported rice significantly. Three strains were developed to suit the different climatic and soil conditions in Dominica.

Hsieh's specialty is rice cultivation and rice is one of the mission's most important tasks. Hsieh explains that the mission's work is now in the third stage. The first stage was to improve the local strains of rice and increase productivity by 15 percent. Stage two required the importation and promotion of high quality foreign strains. Now that this has been achieved, Hsieh's team is concentrating on making hybrids of local and foreign strains able to perform well under local conditions.

The training courses offered by the mission began in 1969. In total 389 promoters, 1,281 farmers, 82 soldiers and 41 foreign technicians have received training from the mission.

The increasing amount of support from the Dominicans is greatly appreciated and inspires mission members to perform even better. Some members note that the Dominican technicians are fast catching up with the ROC's adding humorously that this is another inspiration to further progress.

The mission examined the problem of which vegetables would be best suited to Dominican's tropical climate. They imported 25 strains of 15 types of vegetables including tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, for experimentation in Dominica. Then, they worked on improving the most hardy varieties until satisfied that the seeds were suitable for wide cultivation.

A major objective of the mission was to develop summer vegetables for farmers on the plains and experimentation in southern Dominica has met with success. Rotating tomatoes and broccoli, productivity was increased making a significant contribution to farmer's incomes.

The mission recently made a survey of the banana industry in Dominica. After making a detailed study of banana tree growth patterns in Dominica, and experimenting with various ways to increase productivity the mission prepared a report outlining several suggestions for improvements.

In 1976 Dominica's first soil and water conservancy station was established at Tavera Dam. The project was allocated over 83 hectares on which some 26,000 fruit trees and 88,000 other trees were planted. The mission also trained 21 technicians and 70 farmers in conservation work at the station. This station has been engaged in a variety of projects ranging from research of existing dams to supervising conservancy work at various other sites. In 1977 the mission supplied two technicians to help with the construction of 20 irrigation ponds.

As with many ROC technical missions, the mission to Dominica spent quite some time working on improving the fishing industry Being an island, the fishing industry is very important to Dominica's economy.

Animal husbandry is an important source of extra income for many farmers. The ROC mission paid special attention to training people in the latest breeding techniques and improved food mixtures for hogs. Hog-raising is one area in which Taiwan has accumulated much experience.

[Picture Caption]

1. The oldest church in the Dominican Republic's capital where the grave of Columbus is located. 2. The ROC mission leader is a rice cultivation specialist. Here he is seen working with his local counterpart. 3. The mission introduced rice-planting machinery to Dominica and local farmers are being trained in their use.

1.2. Seedlings are vital to wet rice cultivation so the management of nurseries is of special importance. 3. The old fort at Santo Domingo. 4.5. The refrigerated grain store at Juma supplies high quality strains to farmers throughout Dominica.

1.2. Here ROC ambassador Tung is being shown the produce of the fish pond at Nigua. 3. This variety of fresh-water shrimp is very tasty. 4. Ichthyologist Liu Chi-yuan working with Dominican specialists on shrimp breeding. 5. The gate of the fort shown on the previous page.

1. This is the oldest street in Santo Domingo. 2. The Dominican presidential office. 3. Deputy mission leader Feng engaging in soil research with an assistant. 4. ROC technician Lee Hsin-fu instructing local technicians on the use of farm machinery. 5. Agronomist Liao Hsueh-cheng picking eggplants with his local counterparts. 6. The mission's banana research is headed by Liu Cheng-chiang who is seen here measuring banana trees with his assistants. The research is aimed at reducing the height of banana trees. 7. Outside the cathedral is a statue of Columbus. 8. Dominican farmers s praying crops.

Left: The entrance to the ancient cathedral. Right: The cathedral has a solemn atmosphere.

The ROC mission leader is a rice cultivation specialist. Here he is seen working with his local counterpart.

The mission introduced rice-planting machinery to Dominica and local farmers are being trained in their use.

Seedlings are vital to wet rice cultivation so the management of nurseries is of special importance.

Seedlings are vital to wet rice cultivation so the management of nurseries is of special importance.

The gate of the fort shown on the previous page.

The refrigerated grain store at Juma supplies high quality strains to farmers throughout Dominica.

The refrigerated grain store at Juma supplies high quality strains to farmers throughout Dominica.

Here ROC ambassador Tung is being shown the produce of the fish pond at Nigua.

Here ROC ambassador Tung is being shown the produce of the fish pond at Nigua.

This variety of fresh-water shrimp is very tasty.

Ichthyologist Liu Chi-yuan working with Dominican specialists on shrimp breeding.

The old fort at Santo Domingo.

This is the oldest street in Santo Domingo.

The Dominican presidential office.

Deputy mission leader Feng engaging in soil research with an assistant.

ROC technician Lee Hsin-fu instructing local technicians on the use of farm machinery.

he oldest church in the Dominican Republic's capital where the grave of Columbus is located.

Dominican farmers s praying crops.

Agronomist Liao Hsueh-cheng picking eggplants with his local counterparts.

The mission's banana research is headed by Liu Cheng-chiang who is seen here measuring banana trees with his assistants.

The old fort at Santo Domingo.

The refrigerated grain sto.