When is Agricultural Reform Day?
Agricultural Reform Day (Dia da Reforma Agrária) is a public holiday on the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe observed on September 30th each year.
Marks the nationalisation of the swiddens (slash-and-burn agricultural land) on this day in 1975.
History of Agricultural Reform Day
At the time of independence from Portugal in 1975, Portuguese-owned plantations occupied 90% of the cultivated area. To make the most of the fertile but mountainous land, swiddens were used. Swidden agriculture is a form of shifting agriculture in which the forest is cleared and burned prior to the rains. The resulting clearing, or swidden, is planted with a number of crops.
Soil fertility is restored through the natural regeneration of secondary forest. The advantage of the technique is that it is simple; requiring few tools, a machete and a hoe, and no chemical or animal fertilizers. The major investment is labour to clear the land.
During a rally, on September 30th 1975, the nationalisation of the swiddens was announced.
This was a significant milestone in the development of agriculture in the fledgling country. The holiday is an occasion to remember this and to also promote the development of agriculture in the country.
