Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1942, Page 112
100
LE NORD
devoted to the matter by the State authorities last winter. Steps
were taken before Christmas to plan the production for 1941—
42. One of the main objects was to increase the cultivation
of food plants for human consumption, especially cereals and
potatoes.
For this it was considered necessary to arrange for more in-
struction and this was done by means of a production campaign.
It was unanimously considered appropriate to keep the actual
production policy separate from the distribution and consumption
policy and so the administration of the former was concentrated
in the Ministry of Agriculture, whereas that of the latter was
left to the Ministry of Supply.
A committee of agricultural production was set up in January
1941 in the Ministry of Agriculture, and under the chairmanship
of the Minister it was to direct and control the production cam-
paign. Special sections for special matters are subordinate to this
committee: viz. for plant cultivation, domestic animals, labour,
fertilising, organisation, gardening, and agricultural production
by the evacuees. In the beginning of February a temporary Pro-
duction Division was set up in the Ministry of Agriculture to
carry out the production campaign. Its principal work is the
planning and directing of the campaign, especially the field in-
struction work. The publicity planned has been of vital im-
portance; the Production Division has published many pamphlets
and leaflets, while using the Press, the wireless etc. for the same
purpose.
A fundamental principle in planning the field instruction was
that it should be based upon organisations already existing, which
could be supplemented as required. Our principal instruction
organisations with their different grades formed the framework
on which the field instruction could be based. The agricultural
extension organisations are subject to the administration of agri-
culture and thus to the Ministry of Agriculture.
A certain concentration was necessary to bring about unity
and elasticity. The Organisation Section of the production comit-
tee at the meeting on February 5 th 1941 arranged co-operation
between the Finnish-speaking principal instruction organisations
for the extension of the production campaign. There are in Fin-
land three central organisations for the agricultural instruction
work, viz., the Central League of Agricultural Societies, the
Central League of Small Farmers and the Small Farmers’ League.