Land Resources
The Comoros has created a National Commission for Sustainable Development as well as regional commissions based on each of the three main islands. The Comoros is currently drawing up of a program for combating land degradation through the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, as well as plans for the development of agro-forestry for improved management of soil fertility to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers.
The agricultural sector accounts for 40% of the Comoros’ GDP and employs a large percentage of the workforce. This is a source of vulnerability for the economy, as fragile soils vulnerable to erosion and tectonic instability coupled with zones of subsistence farming create a difficult climate for economic growth. High unemployment and high poverty rates persist, while comparatively high population growth, bad use of soils, inadequate institutional capacities and poor economic diversification add to this vulnerability. Traditional housing is made of cob or straw, which is not resistant to inclement weather, and is concentrated mainly in the coastal region. High population growth increases the need for land and drives deforestation to accommodate the population’s need for land suitable for housing, agriculture and construction. This leads to uncontrolled deforestation, loss of habitat and decreased fertility for some species, soil erosion, and drying rivers and water sources. These processes also take place in regions that would otherwise be good candidates to house future expansion of the tourism industry, which thereby erodes the future potential for success of this sector. Unemployment and poverty exacerbate this environmental degradation and natural resource exploitation. Implementation of a small UNDP grant project on land conservation is also underway in the Comoros.
