2.1 Expansion of banana cultivation
2.2 Structure of foreign trade
2.3 Insufficient marketing structures
2.4 Specialized extension services
2.6 Availability of seedlings
The deforestation of steep slopes and subsequent expansion of banana cultivation during the last years had major impacts on the natural resources:
- loss of top soil
- drying of springs
- leaching of pesticides into ground and surface water
The agroforestry approach has to be concerned with these negative effects of banana cultivation and can considerably contribute to more ecologically sound cultivation methods. (see 3.3) These measures will improve watershed protection, reduce the need of pesticides use and on the long term maintain soil fertility and productivity of banana cultivation. The introduction of tree crops in existing banana fields on unsuitable land will aim ultimately at replacing bananas after some years.
It can be estimated that 50 % of the 13,000 acres under banana are suffering from soil erosion and that economic damage by this process in terms of decreasing production and higher input levels is between 5000 and 10,000 EC$ in five years. After this period unprofitable banana lands are given up, and recuperation of these areas for agricultural production appears difficult. However, they can be used for firewood plantations with legume species.
The most popular chemicals used in banana cultivation are the weedicide paraquat (=gramoxone) and the nematicide mocap (ethoprop). It has been reported that in various cases birds, opossums, freshwater fish and crabs have been found dead after the application of chemicals. (Caribbean Conservation Association 1991). Special concern should be given to the run-off of agrochemicals in watercourses and the subsequent effect on the marine life in the coastal zone.
In 1988 bananas constituted 70 % of total exports (100 million EC$). In 1990 banana exports had decreased to 83,104,000 EC$ or 56 % of total exports. The other important export product after bananas are products of the coconut industry: toilet soap, household soap and coconut oil (1987: 18.6 % of total exports) and bay oil (1987: 1 %). In the last years the exportation of crude coconut oil has decreased, but the structure of exports has remained basically the same, with bananas and coconut products sharing more than 80 % of total exports. In 1990 62 % of total exports were fresh agricultural products, while the share of processed products increased in the last years. (source: Records of the Central Statistical Office) Presently exportation of fresh products other than banana is 8,527,000 EC$ or 5.7 % of total exports.
Concerns are widespread about losing the U.K. banana export market after the implementation of the European Common Market by the end of 1992, although the U.K. government has promised to extend preferential treatment to Windward Islands bananas for 5 years. This would give Dominica time to diversify its production and export earnings. The policy of diversification was pronounced by the government for many years, but banana monoculture expanded. The introduction and rehabilitation of tree crops in agroforestry systems will be able to assume an increasing share of agricultural exports as fresh and processed products, if respective support will be given to the marketing of these commodities. Especially cocoa, mango, avocado and pass ion fruit have a good potential on export markets and are well suited for agroforestry systems.
Agroforestry can help to reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers through reduced disease incidence experimented in multi-story-systems and nitrogen fixation of leguminous plants. Imports of fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural inputs in 1990 were 15,242,064 EC$ or 5 % of total imports. Regarding Dominica's overall negative trade balance (1990: 148,587,000 EC$ exports vs. 318,392,000 EC$ imports) strategies to reduce the trade deficit are necessary.
With the exception of bananas and cocoa there are no major secure markets with acceptable prices for agricultural products in Dominica. Their inexistence is the major constraint for diversification and the development of agroforestry systems which integrate fruit trees. Only minor quantities of root crops, vegetables and fruits are marketed by hucksters who buy directly from the producers.
Presently 50 % or more of the production of coconuts and citrus, 2 of Dominica's major crops, are not harvested. In the case of coconuts the major buyer, Dominica Coconut Products Ltd. buys copra at a price of 1134 EC$/long ton, but no fresh nuts. Farmers complain about the low price and are unwilling to process coconuts to copra at the existing price level. Plans exist to set up a central drying unit where farmers could sell fresh nuts. In the case of citrus the processing enterprise Dominica Agro Industries as well as the Dominica Citrus Grower's Association broke down in 1991. 90 % of the grape fruits were not harvested. Other enterprises process citrus, passion fruit, guava and tamarinde, but they cannot compete with the prices paid by hucksters for fresh products.
The national production more than satisfies domestic demand for fresh products such as fruits, vegetables, root crops. However, food imports such as meat, cereals and processed products are significant. It is estimated that 30 % of agricultural production is marketed locally and that 50 % of root crops and 30 % of vegetables are produced for family consumption. Products for family consumption are often grown in diversified home gardens, using multiple-story-agroforestry-systems. Monocropping of bananas reduced the production of crops for home consumption, increasing the demand for imported products which substitute traditional root crops.
Farmers are reluctant to invest time and money in crops which have no guaranteed market. So far the atomized structure of small producers did not organize common efforts to open new marketing channels. As long as no significant change is realized in this field, the monoculture or bananas will be difficult to overcome.
Constraints for selling on the overseas market are high shipping rates for sea and air freight, long distance which requires cooled containers for fresh products and limited availability of sea transport, especially for smaller quantities. The only ships with a fixed schedule to Europe are of the Geest Line. They only ship products other than banana if there is space available. For this reason marketing of fresh products is very risky. If no transport is available, full containers rot in the harbour. There are no scheduled ships to the U.S., and it is difficult to convince shipowners to make an extra stop in Dominica for one container only. (see appendix 7: Shipping schedules)
Agricultural extension is commodity oriented rather than farm oriented in Dominica, although in the last years efforts were made to overcome the separation between different crops. The Dominica Banana Marketing Board provides assistance, inputs and marketing to banana farmers, while the Ministry of Agriculture extension service is responsible for any other crops, in collaboration with the Cocoa Project, the Tropical Fruit and Spice Project etc.. Lack of cooperation between the two extension systems so far hindered the elaboration of optimal farming systems integrating bananas and root crops as well as trees. The Forestry Division cooperated to some extent with agriculture by the OAS-funded Agro-Forestry Project in 1987-1989 which was not continued due to lack of funding.
Recommendations of the different extension services often are not compatible with each other, considering spacing, intercropping, pesticide use etc. In the future joint efforts of the different institutions are necessary to incorporate agroforestry elements in Dominica's farms. (see 5.1)
Agriculture is estimated to employ 50 % of the labour force, banana production 40 %. This includes part-time employment on larger farms during peaks of labour requirement and some full-time workers. The big estates presently are more or less abandoned, because hired farm labour is not available or not profitable and some estate owners lost their Interest in agriculture, hoping to gain more with land speculation. Dominicans prefer to work as independent farmers rather than as hired farm workers.
Labour shortage is a general trend in Dominica's agriculture, but there are regional differences reflected in the salaries which vary between 20 EC$/day in the Northeast and 35 - 50 EC$/day in intensive banana cropping areas in the Center/West. For several crops, like citrus and coconuts, harvesting costs are too high to be paid for by the low prices offered. Additional tasks will be accepted by farmers only if financial return is guaranteed.
There is some potential in the increase of hours worked per day (actually 4-5) and in the fact that many farmers have to travel larger distances from their houses to their fields. This applies specially to farmers of the West Coast cultivating areas in the Center of Dominica.
Actually the Agricultural Division produces tree crop seedlings in 6 nurseries: grafted mangoes and avocados, passionfruit, soursop, citrus, coffee and cocoa. The multiplication of forestry species is limited: the only forestry nursery in Point Cassé counts with a difficult climatic situation, insufficient staff and funds and actually produces only 5000 trees/year, primarily timber species: mahogany, blue mahou, white cedar, cupressus. The only fast growing leguminous presently multiplicated is Sesbania. Efforts are necessary to produce significant numbers of seedlings suitable for agroforestry systems. The establishment of flying nurseries seems adapted to the island's conditions as the transport from a central nursery to the planting sites is costly and might damage the seedlings. (see also report on Institutions and the Nursery Project)