 the Caribbean
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the Caribbean > home |
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This report is based on the outcome of last updated: 22 July 2002 |
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1. Regional overview
1.1 Geography 1.3 Climate 1. > top |
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[Ambiente y Desarrollo en el Caribe (ADEC) - Univ. Texas Perry-Castañeda Library] [Maps of Caribbean countries - Caribbean On-line] [Political map of the Caribbean - Univ. Texas Perry-Castañeda Library] [Caribbean Map Gallery - www.idasnet.com] [Caribbean and Latin American countries: List of Portal sites] (xls. 94kb) 1.1 > 1. Development Issues of the Region [Strengthening Capacity for Sustainable Development in the English Speaking Caribbean - Caribbean Development Bank] [CARIBBEAN ISLANDS - A Country Study - lcweb2.loc.gov] 1.2 > 1. Climate in general [Caribbean, Geology and Climate - The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia] Climate Change and its impact to the Region [Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Global Cilimate Change (CPACC)] 1.3 > 1. |
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2. Land resources of the Region |
[Caribbean Vegetation Mapping Project - USGS] [Caribbean Forest Type and Protected Area Distribution (WCMC)] |
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3. Water resources of the Region |
[AQUASTAT: GENERAL SUMMARY LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN] [AQUASTAT: the results of the survey for the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (1999) - pdf document, 12MB] |
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4. Plant nutrient resources of the Region |
[Nitrogen Availability in Vegetable Systems Amended with Biosolid-Yard Waste Compost a case in Puerto Rico - Yuncong Li, Assistant Professorof Plant Nutrition University of Florida] |
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5. Hot spots of the Region |
[UNDP Global Environmental Outlook: Latin America and the Caribbean: Land] |
[UNDP Global Environmental Outlook: Latin America and the Caribbean: Water] |
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6. Bright spots of the Region |
[PROCICARIBE: The Agricultural Science and Technology System of the CARIBBEAN] [Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project: Hazard Mitigation Planning Resource] |
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7. Challenges and viewpoints of the Region |
Historically, agriculture has played a dominant role in the economies of the member states of the Caribbean, and particularly in the Eastern Caribbean. In Dominica, for example, agriculture's contribution to GDP was 20.5% in 1994 and in many countries it is a main foreign exchange earner and employer of the labour force. However, Caribbean agriculture faces a number of challenges. Foremost among these is globalization, which has resulted in declining fortunes for the banana and sugar industries of most countries. The role that agriculture will be required to play in the future economic development in these countries is now more critical than ever. A number of regional and sub-regional initiatives are being pursued to ensure that substitute agricultural enterprises make an optimal contribution to the region's economic development. Some of these initiatives include the exploitation of agriculture for food security, for import substitution, to earn foreign exchange for national needs and as a source of revenue for countries with limited fiscal options. Linkages between agriculture and tourism, including eco- and agri-tourism, are also being pursued vigourously. To address these challenges, the member states of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, have embarked on a Regional Transformation Programme for the agricultural sector, which seeks to address the competitiveness of the sector. At the sub-regional level, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS, has formulated a Strategic Plan of Action to improve the effectiveness of the OECS agricultural Diversification Programme. This plan was approved by the OECS Ministers of Agriculture and has identified land use and land zoning as essential elements of the Diversification Programme. The region also needs to develop mechanisms to identify marginal or idle lands, which can be used in the diversification effort. The stakeholders in water resources have indicated the need for a co-ordinated approach to the management of this resource for agricultural development. High levels of wastage, inefficient water use in the agricultural sector and pollution of watercourses are growing problems for most countries. Additionally, poor land use and land management practices have entailed degradation of watersheds, forests, farms, aquifers, coastal zones, fisheries and coral reefs, all of which affect the Caribbean environment and its peoples. With respect to plant nutrient resource management, most farmers apply high levels of inorganic fertilizer to their commercial crops; the rates of application of these fertilizers are based on trials conducted over 30 years ago. Despite declining crop responses to increasing levels of fertilizer, farmers continue to invest large sums of money into this input, thus suffering economic losses and causing pollution of ground and surface waters. There is very little information on the availability of alternative sources of plant nutrients, nor is there a scientific approach to the application of plant nutrients to crops. The National Environmental Action Plans for the Caribbean countries as well as the stakeholders at several levels in the society have stated the need for a coordinated approach to land, water and plant resource management for agricultural development in the Caribbean Region. In 1998, the first CLAWRENET working group met in St. Lucia and identified a number of priority projects to be developed and implemented. Among these was the collection and dissemination of information on land and water resources as well as promotion of public awareness of natural resources management. This workshop is an initial step in these efforts, bringing together key national representatives involved in land and water resources management, to examine national and regional constraints and to develop national and regional programmes of work. [extract from the Proceedings of the Caribbean Regional Workshop: Oct. 2000, Barbados] The full text of the Proceedings is available: The UN ESA Agenda 21 report (section of America and the Caribbean) also provides country specific challenging issues for sustainable development. |
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8. References and related internet links
8.1 References 8. > top |
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----- 8.1 > 8. the Caribbean in General CARDI: Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Caribbean Map Gallery - www.idasnet.com CATIE Centro Agrónomico Tropical de investigación y Enseñanza UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture Research The Caribbean Weather Center Ltd (Caribwx.com) National Agricultural Research Systems - Database on Institutional Links: Regions: the Caribbean Caribbean: Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change 8.2 > 8. |