|
|
WB offers 30 ml dollars for agricultural development project in Madagascar |
 |
+ |
- |
20:38, July 04, 2007 |
The World Bank has provided 30 million U.S. dollars for an agricultural development project in the island country of Madagascar.
The project, "Project Basins-Slopes Irrigated Perimetres" ( BSIP), was officially launched on Tuesday at a workshop in the province of Mahajanga, some 400 km northwest of the capital Antananrivo, the
French-language daily Tribune reported on Wednesday.
BSIP is an essential tool for the implementation of the Green Revolution, which is within the framework of Madagascan government economic development plan to increase the production in the country.
The so-called green revolution was officially launched on Monday with an objective to treble agricultural production in three years.
BSIP has been financed by the World Bank and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) with a total amount of 36 million U.S. dollars, 30 millions from the World Bank and 6 millions from the GEF.
The project is scheduled to complete in 12 years and the first phase will be implemented from 2007 to 2011 in four basin slopes of the country, where there is a high potential for agricultural development.
Twenty nine cities within the four areas will benefit from agricultural activities, development of the irrigation and the development of the basins slopes in general, a government official said.
The objective of the project was to improve life conditions and increase incomes of the rural population in the basin slopes, according to government plan.
When completed, government officials hoped, rice production would be increased by 50 percent and environmental conditions would also be greatly improved.
In its economic development plan, or Madagascar Action Plan announced last November, Antananarivo said it could produce 9 million tons of rice annually, over 3 million tons for national consumption and the remaining for export.
Source: Xinhua
|
|
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article