Irrigation is an important element in the production of bananas on a state-owned plantation about 130km southwest of Mogadiscio. Workers receive WFP rations. - - Agricultural Development. The purpose of the project is to develop fertile, but unutilised, land for agricultural production. In Somalia only 10% of the arable land is presently under productive use, and the Government is consequently giving high priority to land clearance and cultivation in order to reduce the strain on the economy created by the need to import food. The UN/FAO World Food Programme originally began assisting this project in 1970 for a period of three years and this was subsequently expanded for a further two years. Agricultural development workers receive part of their wages in the form of WFP rations consisting, during the present phase of the project, of wheat flour and edible oil. An important side benefit of the project is said to be that the traditional attitude of the nomadic population towards agriculture is slowly being modified. WFP aid has been of considerable assistance to the Government in its crash programme to bring about additional employment opportunities, increase food production (with the objective of domestic self-sufficiency) and the orientating of youth towards agricultural activities. The total cost of this project to WFP has been $1,335,000.