Demostration Farm Research February 1997 Brobo, Cote d'Ivoire Funded by: AICAF Implemented by: ICA Cote d'Ivoire, ICA Japan and local people
PROJECT OVERVIEW Brobo is a town in Brobo sub-prefecture, with about 4,000 residents. The population there has been increasing rapidly because of high birth rate and influx of refugees from strife-ridden, neighbouring countries. Unemployment is a serious problem, and the youth go to cities searching for a job, or stay idle in their village. The project includes a demonstration farm, and we organized a research trip to study and plan the next steps in a cooperative venture in further development of the farm.
ICA:Cote d'Ivoire agriculture staff and Akira Uo, a rural development specialist from Japan.
	1. Brobo, with a population of 30,000, is one of four Sub-Prefectures in Bouake Prefecture. This traditional house is made of mud and the roof made of straw.
	2. In the Sub-Prefecture, population has been increasing due to high birth rate and influx of refugees. Only a few villages have electricity and running water. Due to the high unemployment rate, many men work elsewhere as seasonal workers, and only women and children remain in the villages.
	3. The high street of Brobo Town, the capital of Brobo Sub- Prefecture. The marketplace is rather empty except on Tuesdays, the market day. Public transportation from villages to the town is available only on the market day.
	4. 5. ICA staff work in the kidney bean field of the demonstration farm. From crops like corn and vegetables to alley cropping and soil testing, wide-ranging agricultural activities are carried out. But crops do not grow very well lately because the dry season tends to be long given climatic changes and water shortage.
	4. 5. ICA staff work in the kidney bean field of the demonstration farm. From crops like corn and vegetables to alley cropping and soil testing, wide-ranging agricultural activities are carried out. But crops do not grow very well lately because the dry season tends to be long given climatic changes and water shortage.
	6. The demonstration farm stands deserted in the dry season. Only acacia trees are seen in the photo.
	7. One of the four wells in ICA's demonstration farm is completely dry. During the dry season, only one well is fully functional.
	8. All the wells are shallow with a depth of 5-6m.
	9. Considering that palm and cashew fields which need much watering, are soon going to be made, 1 or 2 deeper wells are needed.
	10. ICA staff clean up the empty lot in the office compound to make it available for palm and cashew seeds.
	11. The Japanese rural development specialist helps weed and rake leaves. The old fence behind him is soon to be replaced by a new one to keep cattle away from the nursery beds.
	12. ICA staff break the ground to expose rich soil for the palm and cashew nursery beds.
	13. This dry, sandy soil is usually mixed with regular soil to make potting soil for the nursery.
	14. 15. The manure-rich soil taken from this cattle farm is also added, resulting in a mixture of about 10 parts regular soil, 3 parts sandy soil and 5 parts manure-rich soil.
	16. 17. Fertilizer containing mainly nitrogen and phosphorus plus some potash are added to the soil mixed with cattle-manure rich soil.
	18. Soil management after nursery bed has been made, by applying proper amounts of fertilizer, is very important to increase the quality and quantity of young trees.
	19. 20. After wetting, the carefully made soil is packed in the plastic bags.
	21. Shade will soon be made about one meter above the pots to protect the seeds and seedlings.
	22. 3,000 cashew seeds are sunbathing on a tin plate before planting in the nursery pots. Seeds germinate in 2-3 weeks time after placing in the ground. As the seedlings reach 10 cm high, they are transplanted at a spacing of 7-8 m. The cashew starts to flower at 3-5 years and can be harvested for 20-30 years.
	23. 24. The cashew, which originated in Brazil, is not demanding in soil requirements as it grows even in very gravelly soils. Also, cashew trees are seldom seriously affected by either insects or diseases. For those reasons, we decided to introduce cashew in the demo farm. Cashew seeds are put in the nursery pots. They are watered daily.
	25. A tall cashew tree in the demonstration farm. Although the cashew is not demanding in soil requirements, it becomes more insect and disease resistant and grows even better if it is in rich soil.
	26. A cashew tree in a nearby cashew plantation. It is approximately 4-5 years old. The cashew apple is yellowish-pink and 4-5 cm in length. The fleshy, slightly acidic apple is used for drinking, making wine and vinegar. The fruits may be picked between January and March.
	27. The kidney-shaped nut is attached to the bottom of the apple. The nuts are separated from the cashew apples immediately after harvest. The nuts are roasted and shelled by hand.
	28. 29. To increase the growth percentage, germinated palm tree seeds were purchased from a botanical research center. Oil palm, Coconut palm and Date palm grow abundantly in Africa. We chose oil palm which is propagated in West Africa.
	30. A variety of uses are found for the palm tree. This photo shows various products made out of palm tree: broom made from fronds, skin lotion, cooking oil, kernels, soap and fruits (from left to right).
	31. A young palm tree. Oil palm tree varies from 5-10 m in height. The fruit is red, egg-shaped and 2-5 cm in length. Palm oil is extracted from the fruit and kernel oil from the shell. Wine is also made from palm. Also, mat and roof covering are made out of its fronds.
	32. A typical oil palm tree in Africa. A tree yields about 5-12 bunches of fruits per year and each bunch consists of 200-300 fruits.
	33. Palm trees transplanted last year growing slowly, but firmly. Grey ash covering part of the field is caused by the burning of land to hunt for small animals. This traditional method of hunting is now becoming a big problem for the crops in the demonstration farm with disastrous results.
	34. Some of the agricultural tools we bought are delivered by the truck including: a wheelbarrow, a roll of flexible hose, iron net for fencing, barbed wire, etc.
	35. ICA Staff and Brobo community leaders discuss the future of the demonstration farm.

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