Scattered through the countryside of the Ivory Coast are numerous lush rice paddies which are the result of 10 years' hard work by members of the Republic of China's agricultural assistance mission. The local people even refer fondly to the crop as "Chinese rice". The mission has now moved from rice planting to the project's second stage; multi-line farming which includes all branches of agriculture, fish culture, and animal husbandry.

The Republic of the Ivory Coast is located on the west coast of Africa, north of the equator and neighboring on the Gulf of Guinea. The country's name is a reflection of its history. In the 16th century, French navigators discovered a deeply indented coastline, where there was an abundance of elephants. Soon they began trading in ivory, and named the region the Ivory Coast.

The rich fertile land and natural resources of the Ivory Coast attracted settlers and the country soon became a French colony. Under French rule, economic and political development was rapid, until today, the Ivory Coast is one of Africa's more advanced countries.

The Ivory Coast gained its independence in 1960, though continuing to maintain close relations with France. The day Sinorama reporters arrived in the Ivory Coast, the occasion of a visit by French President Mitterrand was declared a national holiday.

Tropical crops such as rice, coffee, cacao, bananas, lumber, coconuts and pineapples are the mainstays of the Ivory Coast's agricultural economy. There are now 70,000 hectares of rice paddies under cultivation but some imports are still necessary.

The more prosperous people in the Ivory Coast eat rice, while poorer people subsist on bananas, which are consumed raw, deep-fried or boiled.

The Ivory Coast was the last stop on the Sinorama team's tour of ROC agricultural assistance missions in Africa. After landing in the capital of Abidjan, mission leader Shen Tuan-lien accompanied the team to the mission's stations.

Shen explained that the mission's work was planned in three stages. In the first stage, from 1963 to 1972, some 160 ROC agronomists helped to promote rice production. The establishment by the Ivory Coast government of a rice company to oversee production and distribution led to the reduction of ROC assistants in 1974. Since 1977, when the goal of rice self-sufficiency was achieved, and the rice company was made redundant, the mission has been helping three other companies engaged in cotton production, agricultural technology and palm oil production.

Shen continued: "With mission members dispersed in this way, it was difficult to coordinate their work. So when the government asked us to assist with the development of more backward areas in the northwest, we suggested that our mission members withdraw from the companies so as to be able to work as a team. Now all our efforts are concentrated on the northwest development plan, which is centered around multi-line farming projects."

The initial successes with rice projects laid a firm foundation for proceeding with multi-line projects, Shen explained. "Farmers' incomes are increased through their participation in programs to breed fish, hogs and poultry."

Shen believes that the key to the program's success is a gradual approach. "If too many new things are pushed upon farmers, it is difficult for them to cope, so we encourage them to choose additional lines to suit the conditions."

More than 95 per cent of the onions consumed in the Ivory Coast are imported, so an onion growing program is proving popular. Farmers in the northwest of the country used to grow cotton, as the crop requires little attention. But since onions bring in 180,000 West African francs per acre compared to 80-100,000 francs for cotton, the extra work involved in tending the former crop is worthwhile.

[Picture Caption]

1. The mission has helped lay a good foundation for rice cultivation in the Ivory Coast. 2. After drying under the sun, rice is packed and transported. 3&4. Because farmers can improve their incomes, assistance with growing onions is very welcome.

1. The Ivory Coast is a large producer of pineapples. The ROC mission has members working at a pineapple factory to provide technical assistance. 2. A mission member training a farmer in the operation of agricultural machinery. 3. Corn grown in the northwestern region of the Ivory Coast is wind dried. 4. The mission's experimental fish pond. 5. Multi-line farming is one of the mission's most important projects. Here a mission member bottlefeeds a prematurely born kid. 6. The mission has a chicken breeding program in the northwestern region.

1. Developing handicraft industries is another of the mission's tasks. Here is a brass decoratives workshop. 2. Basket weaving is also very important. 3. Girls are very precocious in the Ivory Coast; at 12 or 13 they already look like young ladies. 4. The Chinese characters and the Chinese door god seen on this farmer's house demonstrate the closeness of the relationship developed between mission members and local farmers.

After drying under the sun, rice is packed and transported.

Because farmers can improve their incomes, assistance with growing onions is very welcome.

Because farmers can improve their incomes, assistance with growing onions is very welcome.

The Ivory Coast is a large producer of pineapples. The ROC mission has members working at a pineapple factory to provide technical assistance.

A mission member training a farmer in the operation of agricultural machinery.

Corn grown in the northwestern region of the Ivory Coast is wind dried.

The mission's experimental fish pond.

Multi-line farming is one of the mission's most important projects. Here a mission member bottlefeeds a prematurely born kid.

The mission has a chicken breeding program in the northwestern region.

Developing handicraft industries is another of the mission's tasks. Here is a brass decoratives workshop.

Basket weaving is also very important.

Girls are very precocious in the Ivory Coast; at 12 or 13 they already look like young ladies.

The Chinese characters and the Chinese door god seen on this farmer's house demonstrate the closeness of the relationship developed between mission members and local farmers.