The island state of Madagascar has created a special military service of conscript farmers to take up the battle to make enough food for itself.

The Action in Development Military Service (SMAD) offers conscripts three months of citizenship training followed by a nine month agricultural training course and an allocation of five hectares.

Only two-million hectares of the 60-million hectares on Madagascar's main island are cultivated. Many plots are simply used for subsistence, with an average size less than one hectare.

Yet Madagascar is one of the world's largest consumers of rice, and must import around 200 000 tonnes a year.

In January, President Marc Ravalomanana said the country must double agricultural production by 2009 and triple it by 2012.

And so now, standing proud in highly-polished shoes, 60 young volunteers salute the rising of the Madagascan flag before returning to their dormitory. There, under strict military discipline, they have five minutes to change out of their uniforms ... and into farming gear.

"I was working in a stone quarry, but I joined SMAD to improve my quality of life thanks to agriculture," explained Jean Sebastien Tahinzanahary, a young Madagascan now working on the land, under the watchful eye of a man in battle fatigues.

At the end of their 12 months, the military graduates will be installed on a state-owned plot of 300 hectares and each given their own parcel.

"Military training instills in the young a sense of discipline, even self-discipline, as well as giving them physical strength," said Captain Fregis Be, leader of the Soavina regiment near Ambrositra, 210 kilometres south of the capital, Antananarivo.

"But most of all it gives these kids an incredible opportunity, because most of them are the sons of peasants who themselves did not have enough land," he added.

The first graduate is already in-situ nearby in Bemanta, which was until recently just barren land. He has already built a nine kilometre (six mile) access road into the site, where previously there was nothing.

"We've also built a concrete dam, and channeled off three kilometres of secondary canals from the main canal," said Lieutenant Colonel Rasamanana, in charge of developing the land.

"After graduating, we will continue to work together, possibly by creating a cooperative," predicted Heriniana Rakotonomenjanahary.

Even if the first Bemanta harvest is not bountiful, the project will have met its social objectives.

"We have created a community from scratch, and like all societies, there will be snags. But united by their common goal, the youngsters are getting close. They have already started building churches, a market and a school," said Colonel Jean Ernest Randriampeno.

Since the launch of SMAD in September 2006, two land-projects have got underway and, eventually, every region should have a SMAD rural force.

Other centres are due to open in eight cities to train electricians, plumbers, masons and even computer programmers.

When every one of Madagascar's 22 regions finally has its own SMAD, by 2012, that will see an additional 6600 hectares of land come under farming cultivation each year.

AFP