Agro-forestry

The concept of agroforestry is not new to the Caribbean. However, the practice is not as widespread as desired. The following cases (Notes #5 and 6) illustrate that there is potential and opportunity for successful agroforestry projects in the Caribbean with benefits for providing alternative sources of food production, diversifying agricultural production and rejuvenating NTFPs species that are being extirpated in the wild.

Propagating forest tree species for the Fondes Amandes Reforestation Project (FACRP) in St. Ann’s in the Northern Range in Trinidad.

(Photo: Diana Francis)

1 Information from (a) Dunn, J. 000. The Socio-Economic Importance of Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) use in Grenada: A Study for the Forest Policy Review Process. Grenada Forest Management Project, Grenada; and (b) Hypolite, E. 199. Oil from Our Forests. The New Forester. Vol.Ix. Forestry and Wildlife Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. Commonwealth Of Dominica.

Farming Change, growing more food with a changing resource base 73 Note #5: The Fondes Amandes Community Re-forestation Project

In Trinidad and Tobago, the Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation Project (FACRP) is as a community based organization that has acquired approval for management of state owned water catchment lands which serve the national Water and Sewerage Authority. Over 20 years ago, members of a squatter’s community began farming traditional vegetable short crops on the hillside of Fondes Amandes, St. Anns, North Trinidad. In an effort to control the annual bush fires that came with the dry season, excessive soil erosion and flooding during the rainy season and resultant heavy siltation of river and water works, they began to plant fruit-bearing tree crops interspersed with hardwood trees. The initial effort was unsuccessful due to annual fire damage and a particularly devastating fire in 1987. Subsequent fire prevention training received by the leaders of the Group, and passed on to other community members, has gradually ensured that there has been more resistance to fires and survival of a greater number of trees. This community-initiated watershed restoration and protection project supplies food and employment for its members, protects the Fondes Amandes watershed and encourages wildlife protection (Lum Lock 2003)19

In the early 1990s, tree planting and fire trace cutting community “gayaps” (community self help activity) have been held annually. Since it began in 1982, the project has succeeded in transforming fire climax grassland into a viable, fruit-bearing agro- forestry project. Over 1500 trees have been planted and most have survived the annual onslaught of bush fires and insects.

19 Lum Lock, A. 003. (Unpubl.) Background Paper on Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation Project. Paper Prepared for the First Meeting of the Regional Action-Learning Group on Markets for Watershed Services and Improved Livelihoods, -8 April 00, Canari, Port of Spain, Trinidad.

A group of primary school students on a field trip (2010) getting first hand experience about the

FACRP activities. (Photo: Diana Francis)

Critical Issues, Options and Perspectives (CIPO) 74

Note #6: From ‘Wild’ to ‘Cultivated’ Latanyé, Saint Lucia Agroforestry Project

Background: There is a history in harvesting leaves of the Latanyé palm (Coccothrinax barbadensis) for craft and broom production in rural areas, especially among women. The broom’s economic and cultural importance is widely recognized in the country, as well as by the diaspora who continue to use the broom as a traditional sweeper or as souvenir. The Latanyé palm is a wild plant found mainly in the coastal tropical dry forests and seen as a ‘free’ resource to be harvested from private and public forest areas. Public areas are protected by the Forest, Soil and Water Conservation Ordinance of 1946, amended in 1957 and 1983.

Problem: Production of Latanyé brooms has either stagnated or declined due to variability in leaf quality, rising costs, difficulties in obtaining leaves and other materials for broom production, competition from cheaper types of brooms and changes in consumer preferences. Over harvesting of leaves to meet the demand for brooms locally and regionally, is a major threat to the wild Latanyé. This is made worse by absence of legislation for harvest/use of the palm, including control of activities on private lands, protection of the plant, praedial larceny and threat of bush fires. This could potentially cause the extinction of Latanyé in Saint Lucia and consequently, loss of livelihoods.

Opportunity: Both producers and consumers recognise, that with adequate support, production of Latanyé brooms could be expanded to meet existing and new demands, also contributing to agriculture diversification and income generation in rural communities. The plant offers many economic advantages that make it an interesting alternative or additional crop to a farmer. It has low ecological requirements, can grow on marginal lands; is indigenous with low incidence of pests and diseases and, by the

morphology of its leaves, is resistant to strong winds. Maintenance costs are therefore low. Mature plants have been obtained on the more fertile soils that yield harvestable leaves within two years of planting. Action: The Ministry of Agriculture initiated a project to propagate Latanyé in the nursery and establish it as a crop for the harvesting of leaves. To this end, the Forestry Department developed a species recovery strategy for conservation and sustainable use of Latanyé. In 2001, a Task Force, mandated to improve the conservation status and preserve the sustainable livelihoods around use of Latanyé, formulated a conservation strategy for the cultivation of Latanyé. That strategy sought to (a) cease harvesting of wild stocks of Latanyé; (b) allow the wild stocks of Latanyé to recuperate; and (c) sustain the supply of high quality brooms to the market (John, L. 2001).

Results: For the last four years, the Forestry Department has supplied Latanyé plants to approximately 35 farmers Island-wide. Currently there are 45 planted farms island-wide with the average farm size varying from half to one acre plots.

Sources:

John, L. 2001. The latanyé (Coccothrinax barbadensis) craft industry in Saint Lucia, Forestry Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries; Budhram, D. 2009. Assessment of the latanye broom industry in Saint Lucia. Institutional support for Latanyé/Mauby producers in Saint Lucia. Special framework of assistance 2005 contract no. Sfa2005/slu/pe1/lmp/02. Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Farming Change, growing more food with a changing resource base 75 Forest ecosystems services therefore, have become essential to the sustainable livelihoods-based poverty reduction strategies in all Caribbean countries. It is estimated that approximately 334,000 people, or 8% of the population, live in extreme poverty ($1 a day) in the poorest countries of the Anglophone Caribbean. A further five million Haitians or 65% of the population is estimated to live in extreme poverty within the Caribbean Community. The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) recognises the vital importance of forests to ‘improved livelihoods and reduced levels of poverty’ and seeks to achieve same through participatory institutions for forest management that facilitate conservation, wise use and the equitable distribution of forest goods and services that are critical to development.

The increasing recognition and value placed on forests is evidenced by various efforts at national forest policy development, by regional environmental agreements (e.g. Cartagena Convention, OECS St. Georges Declaration) and Caribbean support and ratification of international multilateral environmental agreements (e.g. Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Framework Convention on Climate Change and Convention on Biological Diversity). However, to a large extent, these environmental and ecosystems services of forests remain largely under-appreciated and under-valued in the Caribbean. Such services are still largely taken for granted and are generally not assessed or ‘valued’ in monetary terms except after disaster.

Dominica’s Handicraft Industry and its many linkages (e.g. tourism, fishing), is heavily dependent on steady supplies of NWFPs such as leaves, dyes, vines, roots, reeds, seeds and seed pods, etc. The Kalinagos (Caribs) are major users of Dominica’s NTFPs.

Photo and information: Arlington James, Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division - Dominica

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