Small Farmers’ Participation in the Economy

The scope of farmers’ participation in the economy is rather limited. The small farmers have been neglected and have received few benefits from economic development and little access to government support. In terms of banking credit, agriculture has received only a negligible amount, accounting for between 2% to 6% of total medium and long-term credit during 1960–1986. Moreover, most of this credit was allocated for forestry as well as to state farms and cooperatives. The small farmers have been kept outside bank loans. Most fertilizer is purchased from private sources. The market garden cooperative in Pointe Noire provides an example: it had no nitrogen fertilizer, although potassium and phosphorous were stocked in the common warehouse. A major part of the international assistance in this area has been focused on three main issues to reinforce the Office de Cultures Vivriere&s;s (OCV) administrative and institutional development; to support major OCV’s rural development programs; and to improve the rural road conditions.