CUAPTER FoUR

INTRoDUcTIoN ToAG RICU LTU ]lEAgriculture is the cultivation of the soil orwaters to produce food products such as cropsand livestock. Agriculture, whether simple orcommercial, normally follows a system.

DEFI N ITIONS* A farming system is the integration of all

the inputs of agricultural production into aproduction system.

* Crops are the products of the land and itsplants, which are used for food and othercommercial products, including oils (for

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example, soyabean, sunflower), medicine,pesticides, rubber, lumber and fibre.

DEVETOP/v\ENT OFAGRICUTTURAL

'YsTEMsMany factors have contributed to the evolution ofthe agricultural systems in the Caribbean.* Climate

The tropical climate provides conditionsconducive to the planting, growing andharvesting ofcrops or the rearing oflivestock.

* LandMuch of the land has soils that are appropriatefor production for crops.

* HistoryHistorically, the Caribbean countries werecolonies of European nations; farming wasintended not only to feed the colonists but alsoto produce cash crops and to supply food forthe home country. This meant the cultivationofparticular crops such as sugar, cotton,tobacco and tea, as well as the production ofanimal products such as wool and hides.

* TechnologyThe Caribbean agricultural system is changingfrom subsistence farming to commercialfarrning, due to greater availability of capitaland input and advancement

n" ' ^ - -= -i.3 Harvesting a croP from aquaculture

* h{::iculture (seawater)::,:,: harvested from exclusively marine::::.:risms (sealife) in the natural environment:'r,:-:des shellfish and shrimp.

,Lfunu :: :he criticisms of Caribbean agriculture islffir, :::empts are being made to commercialiseMm: :tps without a proper assessment of their@nr-:::r'e potential under our environmentalLi@rruli---r]s and within our cultural circumstances'lltr u :-.:ortant therefore that an efficient procedure

,LD ;,* =-oped for the selection of crop plants' The

*:::e will need to take account of:.F lc

-:-':rditions that particular plants need to

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. and to be Productive:c '"::ning systems that will make the croptu:r- ::ricila :.:ai environmental conditionsfiir i'je our culture places on the crop, eitheru, a ;:.-l source or as a raw material.

..-:',' of the systems of production and their' :or providing us with the food we need at--: :ost is also very important. It provides'L-:rers with information from which they

:;l: ;hoices when entering farming.

E5 OF AGRICULTURALE^^ (SU B'ISTENCE

PEASANT ANDERCIAT)

:,i'o main cropping systems in the:nono-cropping and multiple cropping.

IIono-cropping in the plantation systemThis system derives from the early colonisersof the Caribbean. Historically, it applied to theproduction of bananas, sugarcane, coconuts,cocoa and coffee on plantations. It is associatedwith large capital outlays. Often, the cost ofmodernising from old machinery and equipmentis uneconomical for plantation owners and^ ro tt eold system is allowed to continue. However, manyplantations have, over the years, improved theirtechnology.

MUIrI PtE cRoPPING

different fteatments. The application of fer:-"...:-is also difficult, due to the differenr require::: ::iofeach crop. it is good pracrice to plan fo, : .-compadbility of the plants, in rerms of thei:requirements for nuffients and control of p:;.,and disease.There.are a variety of inter-cropping metho:.including:* ro.* inter-cropping, which is the planrir.. :

mixed crops in rows* strip inter-cropping, the planting of each : :,,r

of crop in strips rather than in sinlgle ror,.sf relay inter-cropping, which is the introi;* ;:

of a new crop at some point before the ol; _::ris harvested.

Multiple cropping, or multi-cropping, is anintensive system of farming in which severaldifferent crops are planted on the same piece ofland, either at the same time or in succession.Multiple cropping is widely practised in theCaribbean and farmers use this technique toproduce a variety of different food items from thefarm in one season. It is also a means of earninga more regular family income or supplementingit. The practice maximises rhe use oi the landavailable to the farmer.

Sequential croppingIn the sequential cropping system, crops areplanted in succession -on tfr. same piece of land.Sequential cropping includes double cropping,triple cropping, quadruple cropping and rotationcropping. These methods involve planting twocrops in sequence, three crops in Jequence or fourcrops in sequence in a year or season.

Mixed inter-croppingThis is the planting of different types of cropplant on the same field, in the same season . Onlytwo crops are required simulaneously on a fieldto constitute mixed inter-cropping.Mixed inter-cropping is practised by small farmerswho have limited land and who need to providemost of their domestic crops from their smallplots. This cropping system requires intensivecare, since the same field may be growing vinecrops, tree crops and vegetable crops and they allhave.their particular growrh habit. This system,by allowing rhe growth of different ptants on rhesame land, can improve the soil structure andcreate a more stable nuffient balance in the soil.Pest and disease conrrol may be difficult withmixed crops because the plants may require

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f Figure 4.5 intencropping rice and beans

iFE-er5 Srrocropping

CONTROT' ON (ROP 'EIECTION

In the Caribbean, mono-cropping is mainlypracdsed on large farms and the plantations, whilemany of the middle income to low income farmers,on medium to small size farms, practise multiplecropping. The multi-cropping syitem is thereforethe most common system inlhe Caribbean.Both mono-cropping and multi_cropping areused in the Caribbean in both theiiimpiovedtechnological forms and their subsistence forms.In the improved form, farmers use modernagricultural practices, information and technologyto produce their crops. In the subsistence forms]'farmers simply follow traditional, non_scientificmethods of gaining part or all of their livelihoodsfrom agriculture.One aspect of subsistence agriculture is shiftingcultivation. This usually involves the burning o?forested areas and the planting ofa crop or cropsin the burnt area. When the land is exhausted, theprocess is repeated at a new location. This methodof agriculture usually lacks innovation and usesfew or no technological inputs. The first few cropsmay exhibit luxuriant growth and may producewell, because of the virgin nature of tire soil.However, the high nutrient levels in the soil areshort-lived and productivity declines.

Comrr,rirrc lar r,XRMr Nc **-

COTVIPARE D W|TH SU BSTSTENCEFARMINGCommercial farmers produce crops and livestockfor sale. The produce itself is not intended forconsumpdon by the farmers or their families.The system is sometimes called cash cropping.Those farm producrs that are sold on intJrnationalmarkers are called commodities. Examples includewheat, soyabeans, teak, coffee, sugar, cotton andorange juice.Commercial farming takes place on a large,profit-making scale. Commlrcial farmers] or rhecompanies for whom they work, seek to maximiseyields. This is often achieved, especially withinthe tropics or Caribbean region, by growing asingle crop or rearing one type of an-imal. Cashgropqing operates successfully where transporris well developed, domestic markets are largeand expanding and rhere are opportunities forinternational trade.In subsistence agriculture, farmers produce foodpurely for their own families or for consumptionby the local community. It is a system common

J::ps everywhere are affected by temperature,-:-:rfa11, hirmidity, winds and soii.onditionr. In thel:.:ibbean, there is a dry season and a wet season.i::re crops are specific to a season. Most crops*-:'.'e particular requirements in respect of:::lperature, humidity, wind, light intensity and-,'. length or altitude.--:rDS can be classified as cool season or warmir:,

in the Caribbean and in developing counrries.There is little or no surplus. The main priority ofsubsistence farmers is self-survival, which theytry to achieve, whenever possible, by growing orrearing a wide range of crops and animals. Thefact that subsistence farmers are rarely able toimprove their outpur is due to a lack of capital,land and technology and not to a lack of eifortor ability. They are the group most vulnerable tofood shorrages.In subsistence farming" small areas of land areused, mechanisation is lacking and there isminimal use of agrochemicals to maintain yields.The majority of the produce is consumed bythe farmer and his family and the excess sold-Shifting culriration is common, with small areasbeing cleared, generally by burning, to provideland to plant crops.

ENVI RoNMENTAI IMPACTS oFCO',vlAlER(IAL FARMINGAs commercial agriculture is usually based onthe intensive cultivation of a single crop, it oftenresults in the depletion of particular mineralnutrients, causing yields to decrease. To maintainor improve yields, the mineral nutrients arecontinually replaced by using large quantities ofinorganic fertilisers.Commercial fertilisers do not add organic matterto the soil. This causes the soil to becomecompact and the abiliry of the soil to hold waterdecreases.Compaction of soil decreases soil porosiry. Thisdecreases the oxygen content of the soil, whichprevents added fenilisers from being absorbedefficiently-Soil becomes less suitable for plant growth. Thenutrient levels in the soil also decrease, becausecommercial fertilisers supply at most three ofabout twenry nutrients that plants require.A further problem is that fenilisers tend tobe leached out of soil into waterways, causingenrichment of warer bodies (eutrophication) indalgal blooms. Oxygen levels in water are reduced,promoting the death of fish and other aquaricorganisms.Additionally, the use of fertiliser causescontamination of groundwater Rainwater seepingthrough soil promotes leaching of nitrates andsome other chemicals. The rainwater infiltraresthe groundwater and wells and may render waterunfit for domestic uses.

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Benefits of sustainable agricultureSome commercial farming is regarded asunsustainable, because of the reasons alrea;.;discussed.The alternative is sustainable agriculture.This covers a wide range of farming practice=from peasant farming

- including the slash-"::

burn techniques of forest dwellers -

through ::environmentally friendly commercial farmir: :enterprises.The Caribbean could benefit from sustainab,=agriculture for several reasons.* It encourages the adoption ofinnovative

farming methods and appropriate technoi;,-- :,,* It produces economically viable farminq,

either through self-sufficienry or income, a:,:encourages methods that conserve resourr:.:so reducing costs and minimising adverseimpacts.

* It promotes ecological integrity, throughsoil management methods that minimisepollution, erosion and the loss of nutrienr_.

-l(maintains crop health by biological methoc.

* It encourages respect for life and for thecultural integrity of societies, along with so;;equity or justice, which is important becausesocial unrest can threaten the entire social ::,:agricultural system.

AcRIcUTTURAI PRAcTICE' FoRDIFFERENT

+ SugarcaneSugarcane thrives in deep, well-drained and;ultivated soils with high nutrient levels. Itaiso needs high temperatures. Level land isf,etter, because ofthe large areas required foreconomic production and the need to mechanisecultivation and harvesting to reduce labour:osts. Sugarcane is still considered the chiefcropof the West Indies and is especially important inBarbados, St Kitts, Belize and Guyana. Capitalinputs are very high, because the cane cannot be'rsed without being processed. Processing callsfor heavy and costly machinery.

+ fuceRice is the major crop in Guyana and iscecoming economically significant in Jamaica.k is also commercially grown in Trinidad andBelize. Rice is normally planted at the beginningof the wet season, in lagoons and lowlyingplains, and is harvested from the beginningofthe dry season. In Tiinidad and Tobago,rice farming is becoming very popular amongsmall farmers, especially in the Nariva Swamp.One consequence of rice farming in the NarivaSwamp area is that farmers are taking part of thesrvamp for their cultivation. Wildlife habitats areceing lost.

+ BananasThe requirements of bananas are similar to:hose ofsugarcane; however, they are prone:o damage by strong winds and so need to begrown in sheltered areas. Bananas eire rankednext to sugarcane in importance in some ofrhe Caribbean Islands. In others, for example,Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent, they areregarded as the major crop. Investment costsare less than for sugarcane, since not muchprocessing is required.

+ Coffee and cocoaThese two tree crops are grown in cool, wetareas. The flavour of coffee is greatly improvedrvith increasing altitude (300-1200 m). Bothcoffee and cocoa trees prefer the upper slopes,rvhere the temperature is lower. Crops grownon such hillside locations are usually associatedrvith peasant farmers. However, coffee is grownby large investors and produces good incomes.It is produced in large quantities inJamaica,Trinidad and Tobago and in Dominica.

+ CoconutsCoconut palms grow well in sandy soils androlerate salinity. They require a temperatureabove 72-I3"C all year and rainfall above

1000 mm per year. They prefer little or nooverhead canopy, since even small palms requirea lot of sunlight. These requirements mean thatcoastal conditions are ideal.

I Figure 4.8 Cocoa is best grown at higher altitudes,Coconuts are grown in most Caribbean statesfor their ornamental value (they aid tourism)and for copra production. In Tiinidad andTobago, coconut water is used as aheakhydrink. Coconut fibre is also used in horticulture,as a potting medium for orchids, and coconutextract is used as flavouring, as well as formedicinal purposes.

ANIAIAI HUSBANDRYHumans should have about 20 grams per day ofanimal-sourced proteins and fats. In the Caribbean,this requirement has mostly been met from cattie.However, the production of sheep and goatsmay well be more appropriate in the Caribbeanenvironment. This is because the Caribbean oftensuffers from drought, which causes a reductionin pasture grasses. This results in the loss ofmany cattle, by the livestock farmers, and causesa reduction in the meat supply. Because of theirsmaller size and manner of feeding, sheep andgoats are able to survive where cattle cannot. Thismeans that raising sheep and goats could make theregion's supply of meat more secure.

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