17
The agricultural practices of the resettled islanders
Will probably be the same as in the past.
intensive type of agriculture.
That is, a@ non-
Coconuts, arrowroot, pandanus,
and whatever breadfruit that can be grown will be grown.
The resettlement program will,
of course,
give the
Marshall Islands District Agriculture Department an excellent
opportunity to plan for the most efficient use of the land in
the atoll.
Improved varieties of food-producing plants can
be introduced and planted in the most efficient manner.
coconut groves,
production.
training
especially,
The
can be planted to insure maximum
This will be a valuable project in terms of
the local people and scientific experimentation in
atoll agriculture.
I believe that the Bikini people have become more oriented
toward a cash economy since their removal from the atoll.
This
is especially true of those who have had to cope with the cash
economy prevalent at Majuro and Ebeye.
This means that they
will probably be very much interested in copra production and
will want to maximize the yield throughout the atoll.
Whilethis
will aid in the rehabilitation program and the eventual economic
Stability of Bikini,
neglected.
subsistence agriculture should not be
Mr. Hiyane is, of course,
well aware of this aspect
of the problem of agricultural renabilitation.
As IT have indicated previously,
the Bikini people can be
expected to make the maximum use of the local marine resources.
Birds and turtles, and their eggs, fish and shellfish, and all