FAO distributes cassava cuttings to 1,400 farmers

The UN Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) began on Monday its two-week distribution of cassava cuttings to 1,400 farmers in southern Central African Republic (CAR), the FAO programme officer, Etienne Ngounio-Gabia, told IRIN. "As it keeps raining, cassava can be planted until the end of November," he said. He said the farmers, grouped in 69 cooperatives, were affected by the May 2001 failed coup led by former President Andre Kolingba. They live along the road to the town of Mbaiki, 107 km south the capital, Bangui. Families in the region accommodated and fed people displaced from Bangui's southern and eastern suburbs in May and June 2001. The displaced had fled their homes to escape fighting between Kolingba's insurgents and the force of the then President Ange-Felix Patasse, who was himself overthrown on 15 March by Francois Bozize. Ngounio-Gabia said a total of 26,000 cassava cuttings would be distributed by an Italian NGO, Cooperazione Internazionale. FAO purchased the cuttings from local farmers in southeastern Basse Kotto Province, he said. In 2001, the FAO imported a high-quality and drought-resistant type of cassava from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan, Nigeria, which was tested in Basse Kotto. Unlike the CAR's cassava variety, which takes 24 months to mature, the imported one takes only between 12 and 18 months. The distribution follows an assessment mission by FAO officials to the area in September. The mission had found that the farmers had not yet recovered from hosting thousands of internally displaced people following the failed coup, and that they required resistant and fast-growing cassava cuttings. It also takes place as the FAO awaits highly productive chicks, pigs and rabbits for distribution to livestock cooperatives affected by the October 2002 to March 2003 fighting between government troops and rebels loyal to Bozize. In October, FAO also distributed hooks and material to make fishing nets to 1,200 fishermen and fish farmers in Bangui, who were also affected by the May 2001 abortive coup. A total of 7,900 farmers and breeders were equipped with tools to enable them resume fish farming and breeding.