MALAGASY NATIONAL POLICE

c. One of the problems of Madagascar today is that ocean traffic
is distributed among too many ports. With eighteen ports open to foreign
trade, improvement of port installations has been slow. The goal at
present is to concentrate on developing the largest p6rt of the island,
Tamatave, and modernizing the tto medium sized ports, Majunga and Diego-
Suarez. It has been observed that important work is also proceeding in
the harbor of Tulear.
d. Air transportation is proving to be the best adapted to the
geography of the island, and is developing rapidly. Madagascar has over
100 airfields, one of which, Arivonimano, near Tananarive, accommodates
-the large jet airliners (Boeing 707 and DC). Three others are major
airports, -- Ivato, Tamatave and Tulear.
2. Agriculture
a, Malagasy agriculture is very divertified as a result of the
great difference between the'regions in soil, climate and topography.
The variety of crops raised on the island makes for a certain balance in
the countryts economy. On the other hand, it has the disadvantage of
resulting in a dissipation of efforts, which is further aggravated by
transportation difficulties caused by the nature of the terrain.
b. Rice which, along with fish, "brede" (a green vegetable sim­
ilar to spinach) and cassava, forms the staple diet of the Malagasy, is
the island's most important crop. The yearly production is 1,200,000
tons of which approximately 50,000 tons are exported.
c. Most of the coffee is raised for export, and it represents
40% of total Malagasy sales abroad.
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