Farming through the eyes of France Philoe |19 January 2018

 “A farmer does what the farm asks of him and not what he wants to do”

 Amid the challenges of today’s agricultural industry that we hear about from our local farmers, France Joachim Philoe tells his own personal story about life as a farmer and shares with us what he believes are some of the solutions to the challenges that are faced by the industry.

Background

A resident of Les Canelles, 56-year-old France recalls that his school days were cut short in Primary 6 after which he became a labourer for a while. Growing up, France spent a significant amount of time in the garden with his father who was also a farmer. Fond memories soon inspired France to join his father and become a farmer himself. He recalls that he was happy with his decision, especially since the level of competition in the industry was fairly low back then.

Today, after 30 years in the profession, France owns and runs two farms at Les Canelles and Anse à la Mouche with the help of his wife and children. On some occasions he is able to hire some part-time workers but due to financial constraints, he is unable to employ anyone on a full-time basis, despite needing the assistance. In spite of this, France says he enjoys being self-employed, being his own boss and working towards his own future goals.

An average working day

France recounts that an average day in his working life usually begins at around 5.30am and ends after the sun has set. On the days when he sets off to town to sell his produce, the day begins even earlier.

He reveals that a farmer’s plans are always broken as each day presents with an unexpected incident or problem such as fallen trees and broken hose pipes. “A farmer does what the farm asks of him and not what he wants to do,” says France.

Despite the long working hours on most days of the week, France feels that this does not cause any adverse effects on him and his family as although they are working most of the time, they get to spend a lot of time together as a family and really enjoy having a cup of tea together during their breaks. The family feels that their lifestyle helps them to fully understand and appreciate the importance of being hardworking.

The farm

France cites fruits like bananas and pineapple as well as vegetables like cucumber, pumpkin, papaya, chilli and bitter gourd as some of the produce that he grows on his two farms. Once they are ready, France takes a trip down town to deliver the fresh fruits and vegetables at the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market in Victoria where he says they sell very well.

When asked about the types of fertilisers he uses, France explains that he uses chemical fertilisers primarily and when possible, he also uses some organic ones as well. Although he would much rather use organic nutrients for his crops, he finds that chemical fertilisers are more efficient while organic ones are quite limited and more expensive. He notes however, that in order to ensure that his produce is safe for consumption by his customers, he is careful not to overuse the chemical fertilisers.

Customer satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is a value that France places great emphasis on and it is important to him that his customers are satisfied with the produce that they buy from him. It is France’s hope that prices of fruits and vegetables will drop in the future as he feels that the high costs of farming make produce rather expensive for customers who are not only looking for good quality but also reasonable prices.

Challenges in the agricultural industry

Speaking about the challenges of the agricultural industry, France mentions financial constraints as one of the major problems in Seychelles.

“There is limited access to small loans and the banks ask for too much as mortgage. I am never able to achieve my long-term objectives due to financial constraints,” says France. 

A lack of agricultural research and information is also cited as a challenge by France and it is his hope that the relevant authorities will dedicate more time to educating those in the industry about the best ways to handle the issues that they face. For example, France explains that the heat in Seychelles is a major threat for crops and it would be a good initiative to educate farmers about the various ways that one can reduce the effects of excess heat on crops. The process involved in hydroponics is also another area that farmers could be educated about.

France recalls that in the past, there were many courses available in Seychelles to help educate farmers about various topics and although there are still a few, he feels that they are not enough and that farmers are not getting the type of help/information that they actually need and want.

Lastly, France explains that some of the pests in the country are becoming very resistant to poisons and this is creating a problem since it generates additional work and the farmers are losing control over such pests.

Local Food Producers Association

These challenges are cited as the main source of motivation for France when he decided to join the newly formed ‘Local Food Producers Association’ which was registered in October 2017. He explains that by being a member of the association, he is able to help find solutions for various problems and to obtain help when he needs it.

“It brings us together, we learn about each other’s problems and how to fight these together,” says France.

Current farming trends

When asked about his opinion on current trends such as sustainable and organic farming, France admits that such concepts are indeed important. However he feels that people should be encouraged even more to produce fruits/vegetables locally; that farmers need to be allocated land that is conducive for farming and given assistance to plan for the future. For example, France notes that there are currently not enough pineapples and tomatoes being produced and that more people are needed to specialise in these types of crops to help the prices go down. 

With regard to organic farming, France explains that some pests are very resistant and sometimes he has no choice but to intervene with chemicals in order to destroy them. He believes that part of the solution for this particular problem is to reduce the amount of produce that is being imported in order to prevent more pests from entering the country.

Fertilisers are prone to sliding away on farms located on slopes and the heat also affects the quality of fertilisers. As a result, France explains that farmers constantly have to replace these nutrients and because of the high prices, farmers are hesitant to make use of organic fertilisers. He adds that it is therefore important to ensure that farming land is flat enough to sustain the fertilisers and that farmers have access to financing options to invest in the installation of sheds which help prevent excess heat from affecting the fertilisers.

Motivation to persevere

France remains motivated through his own strong will to succeed and finds strength in his family and God. He admits that he finds good returns in various forms from his chosen field, among these are the satisfaction of his customers and the financial security that farming provides for him and his family.

For the population, France adds that farming contributes to good nourishment of our people with fresh, local produce and enables them to know exactly where their food is coming from. The country’s economy also benefits as the money does not leak out of the country unnecessarily.

Advice

For the youth who are thinking of starting a career in agriculture, France reminds them that farming is not an easy job and it is not easy to make financial gains quickly. They need to find the courage to surmount these challenges if they want to pursue this as a career.

France advises those that are already part of the industry not to focus on competition but to focus on themselves, to be caring and supportive of others in the same field and to remain resilient and persevere. 

The future

Speaking about his hopes for the future, France says that he would like to see farmers in Seychelles obtaining even more support so that they are able to increase their chances of being successful in their profession and in turn serve our communities/country better. France also has hope that his family will continue the work he has started and has been dedicated to for so many years.