ENG-1966 — Page 102

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

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waters of the territory and the administrative organization of co- operative societies of all types. The conservation of water and soil, through afforestation of bare, eroded hillsides and catchment areas, is important. Afforestation is largely undertaken by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and private afforestation is still relatively unimportant. The New Territories Administration is responsible for land tenure and certain aspects of land development in the New Territories.

Afforestation is directed primarily towards soil and water con- servation within the Colony's watersheds, with the production of forest produce occupying a secondary and incidental role. In the immediate post-war years considerable emphasis was placed upon the establishment and improvement of village plantations, princi- pally for the production of firewood, but a progressive change over to other forms of fuel has now rendered this aspect unimportant.

In seeking to increase production and improve the economic status of individual farmers, the Agriculture and Fisheries Depart- ment encourages diversified production to mitigate the effects of seasonal market ‘gluts' and trade recessions. Loans are available to farmers through the Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Loan Fund, started in 1955 by the government and two Hong Kong businessmen, Messrs Lawrence and Horace Kadoorie. The fund is administered by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, whose Director is the trustee and chairman of the Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Loan Fund Committee. Loans are also available for farmers through the J. E. Joseph Trust Fund and through the Vegetable Marketing Organization Loan Fund. The Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Associa- tion, a philanthropic organization also founded by the Kadoorie brothers, makes grants to members of the farming community who cannot find enough capital on their own. The general policy of the association is to help those who are prepared to help themselves and, although not a government-sponsored organization, it works closely with the Agriculture and Fisheries Department which offers technical assistance and advice to it and to similar organizations concerned with the rural community.

In the rural education programme this year, some 517 farmers attended discussion groups led by professional and technical officers from the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. A restricted pro-