The first edition of an agricultural show was held this Saturday and Sunday 1st and 2nd October 2022 in the city of itsandra mdjini. The event was organized by Ngazi Dima, an agricultural cooperative of young farmers based in Ngazidja (Grande Comore). It was sponsored by Comores Telecom via its Huri Money service. The aim of the event is to encourage people to consume local products from organic agriculture. ‘‘The current food shortage in our country may be the consequence of climate change, Kenneth cyclone, covid-19 and the war in Ukraine. It also may be explained by the fact that less people are interested in cultivating the land. So, we have to encourage young people to go farming’’ said Ibrahim Ahamada, the head of household and social safety (PFSS) project in Comoros.
Ngazi Dima was launched by young dynamic farmers who were trained in agricultural schools and volunteers determined to accompany the Comorian government in its agricultural policy to make the country food self-sufficient, fight against the high cost of living and the poverty of the peasants by 2030. ‘‘As everyone knows, Comorian food products are not sufficient to nourish a small family. In addition, our local products are expensive. The government is thinking how to fix the problem’’ said Houmeid Msaidie, the ministry of the agriculture.
Ali aboudou was invited to thank the honorary guests and the audience. He reminded the youth that he was the first guy to set up a business in the city of Itsandra Mdjini as a welder in the 1980s. He is thankful that today many young people followed his path and became self-employed. The event was honored by many cadres and notables of Itsandra region. Ahmed Bazi, the ministry of the Economy also attended the show. There was a rush of customers on Sunday morning, the second day of the show. According to one of the organizers, all the products were sold out.
Laithi abdusalam is one of the active members of the cooperative. He studied agriculture in Madagascar after his baccalaureate in Comoros in 2010. He and his friends have the idea of creating an agricultural union for young farmers in order to stand up for their rights when dealing with the Comorian government. He is satisfied of this first agricultural show edition held in his city. According to him, there were more than 800 people who attended the show during the weekend. Youssouf mohamed is a potatoes producer from the village of Ivembeni. He sold out a half ton of his products in 2 days. Faiza is a lady from Maweni. She is a cabbage producer. She sold out 360 kilos of her products the first day of the show.
More than 22 producers and farmers from different counties of Ngazidja came to sell their products during this weekend show. Poultry and beekeeping produces, spice and medicinal cultures, cash crops and agricultural inputs exposed were all sold out. Here are the statistical details of the show given by Laithi abdusalam.
|
Product |
Quantity |
Unit Price per kilo (in KMF) |
|
Carrot |
578 kg |
300 |
|
shoshoti |
212 kg |
300 |
|
Cabbage |
704 kg |
500 |
|
Potato |
815 kg |
800 |
|
Parsley |
85 pack |
500 |
|
Pepper |
197 kg |
1500 |
|
Chili |
53 kg |
2500 |
|
Cassava |
634 kg |
500 |
|
Dried cassava |
128 kg |
750 |
|
Taro (white) |
412 kg |
500 |
|
Taro (red) |
84 kg |
1300 |
|
Fresh coconut(idjavu) |
106 pieces |
250 |
|
Dried coconut(nazi) |
154 pieces |
300 |
|
Vanilla |
5 kg |
15000 |
|
Cassava leaf |
72 kg |
700 |
|
Pineapple |
118 kg |
1100 |
|
Petsayi |
348 kg |
350 |
|
Ginger |
132 kg |
1000 |
|
Sweet potato |
1117 kg |
500 |
|
Papaya |
84 kg |
1000 |
|
Lemon |
21 kg |
2000 |
|
korosoli |
48 kg |
1150 |
|
Egg |
60 packs |
3750 |
|
Tomato |
700 kg |
500 |
|
Cucumber |
214 kg |
1500 |
|
Banana |
1234 kg |
700 |
|
Salad |
430 pieces |
1000 |
|
Milk |
123 liters |
1000 |
|
Honey |
57 liters |
6000 |
|
Yam |
104 kg |
750 |
|
Galangal/dzinzdanou |
115 kg |
600 |
Notes: 1 € = 491 KMF (Comorian currency)
World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year worldwide on October 16th to commemorate the date of the founding United Nations FAO (food and agriculture organization) in 1945. This Sunday October 16th , the event was celebrated by the Comorian government in the island of Anjouan.
Contributing writer
Chami Mouzawar
