FIRST PART. 



ORIGINAL ARTICLES 



Organisation of Agricultural Services 

 in the French Zone of the Empire of Morocco. 



by 

 M. MAI.ET 

 Director of Agriculture, Commerce and Colonisation. 

 General Residence of the French Republic in Morocco. 



In Morocco the agrictiltural question owes its importance to the 

 fact that in an average year 98 per cent of the total exports consist of the 

 produce of the soil. 



At the same time that the French occupation was gaining for the 

 native tribes that security which is necessary for all permanent agricul- 

 tural work, the Intelligence Board (a military organisation) was endeav- 

 ouring to give a fresh impetus to agriculture by the establishment of 

 demonstration fields and nurseries, by seed distribution etc. Appre- 

 ciable results were obtained, but as these initial efforts could only be ap- 

 plied on a restricted scale, they were insufficient to meet the many needs 

 which arise from immigration and the extension of foreign business. 



Agricultural colonisation involved the cooperation of European 

 and native elements in the work of economic improvement and the union 

 of districts that tribe rivalry had hitherto kept in isolation. Under these 

 circumstances, it was inevitable that various technical and administrative 

 problems should arise. Consequently it was necessary to form a central 

 organisation attached to the General Residence in order to secure some 

 measure of uniformity and permanence in matters connected with agri- 

 culture and stock breeding. The Agricultural Board was established 

 on April ist 1913 and its general programme may be analysed as follows : 

 i) To study the natural conditions of plant and animal produc- 

 tion ; 



2) to encourage improvement in native agriculture to the same 

 degree as in neighbouring colonies ; 



