Assessments of the asparagus extension project sponsored by Taiwan Mission in Senegal

• Main Authors: Felix ming-foo Song, 宋明福
• Other Authors: Po-Yung Lai/Rebecca Chung
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2003
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/60353783808553050139

碩士 === 國立屏東科技大學 === 熱帶農業暨國際合作研究所 === 91 === The objectives of this study are to investigate the effects of the asparagus extension and production project in Senegal, to analyze its associated problems, and to propose remedial recommendations for solving these problems. This project was initiated under the auspice of the memorandum of agreement signed in 1996 between Taiwan and Senegal. It was the intent of Taiwan’s government to enhance economic development in countries friendly to Taiwan and to improve the living standards of their people. Under this project, Taiwan provided assistance to the government of Senegal and its farmers in developing high value crops, such as asparagus, to increase farmers’ income and to ultimately improve Senegal’s economics. Since December 1996, members of the Taiwan Mission stationed in Senegal have been working with Senegal’s Ministry of Agriculture, Centre Development Horticole de Camberene (CDH), to initiate trial plantings of asparagus. Taiwan’s experts on asparagus were sent to Senegal to assist project members, conduct investigative tours of the project sites, and develop plans for its acreage and methods of extension. Extension courses were jointly offered by the Taiwan Mission and the Senegal Department of Horticulture to train extension agents for asparagus. Through the extension methods that were developed, a large acreage of asparagus has been planted in a short period of time. However, the asparagus extension project in Senegal encountered bottlenecks immediately, due to the lack of water for irrigation in Dakar area, the newly acquired, thus immature, production techniques, and the markets that have not been properly established. Therefore, it becomes a challenge on how to re-establish the training programs for asparagus extension agents to enable them to teach farmers on the proper production techniques. In addition, solutions should be sought to overcome several other pressing problems, including irrigation, commercial production, establishing effective operation and management system for the Senegal Asparagus Production and Marketing Association, marketing and surveys, and size of markets and production. It is hoped that solving all these problems will enable the asparagus extension project to achieve its anticipated goal in Senegal.