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Project number: 1.07

PRIORITY AREA

Forestry in Land Use

PROJECT TITLE

Agroforestry Development

LOCATION

Petite Savanne/Bagatelle, Salisbury region, Carib Territory, Castle Bruce

DURATION

Five (5) years

BENEFICIARIES

1000 farmers in target areas

BACKGROUND

The Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture has in 1987-89 realized agroforestry extension and trial plots in an effort to increase the productive potential of the resources while maintaining a balance with the environment. Especially in Bagatelle and Petite Savanne, the population accepted the need for new agroforestry techniques to solve social and economical problems.

However, initial steps to establish agroforestry programmes were restricted by lack of necessary funds to provide training for extension staff and farmers, transportation and material necessary for its implementation. In the Carib territory, the Dominica Conservation Association (DCA) started an agroforestry project, but needs support for its successful implementation, as resources are very limited.

Target areas were chosen according to the pressure to find solutions to existing problems:

(a) on the East coast (Carib territory and other regions) running rivers which provided pipe born water to villages have dried up due to deforestation and inadequate agricultural practices;

(b) in Bagatelle and Petite Savanne the production of bay oil decreased by 13% from 1989 to 1990 due to shortage of firewood for the distillation process. Bay trees were cut to obtain fuel;

(c) in steep hills around Salisbury pure stand banana cultivation on recently cleared land produced severe soil erosion and decreasing banana yields (a special regional project for Salisbury might be presented separately);

(d) in Castle Bruce estate existing agroforestry systems were destroyed giving way to banana monoculture, expanding to the hills which surround the estate.

OBJECTIVES

This project aims to introduce improved agroforestry techniques in the target areas and support the marketing of its products, as the lack of marketing for products other than bananas has been found the main reason for banana monoculture, even on inadequate soils. Specifically, activities in these areas shall:

(a) Increase availability of firewood

(b) Increase bay oil production

(c) Control soil erosion

(d) Increase soil fertility

(e) Protect watersheds and springs

(f) Diversify production for marketing and home consumption

(g) Promote techniques of organic farming and reduce utilization of inputs by organic manure and legumes

(h) Improve the marketing of non-banana products

(i) Increase farmer's income

(j) Maintain cultural identity and biodiversity of utilized plants

In the beginning, special attention will be given to the building-up of an Agroforestry Unit within the Ministry of Agriculture and training of agricultural and forestry personnel in this relatively new field. In a later phase this staff will expand and develop agroforestry techniques in other areas.

OUTPUTS

(a) Improvement of socioeconomic situation of farmers in target areas
(b) Ecologically sound land use
(c) Functioning Agroforestry Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture
(d) Agroforestry extension service in 4 target regions
(e) Development of improved agroforestry systems
(f) Increase and diversification of production
(g) Reduced use of agricultural inputs
(h) Reduced soil erosion
(i) Increased and rehabilitated water supplies

ACTIVITIES

(a) 4 demonstration plots (2 acres each)

(b) 2 trial plots (1 acre each)

(c) Continuous assistance to farmers in target areas

(d) Supply of interested farmers with appropriate seedlings and seeds by 3 flying nurseries and cooperation with agricultural plant propagation units and forestry nursery

(e) Training of agroforestry personnel

(f) Support of marketing activities of the Carib Farmers Association

(g) Production of videos and leaflets

(h) Establish Agroforestry Unit

INPUTS

Training of extension workers in agroforestry

Transport - 1 x 4-WD vehicle Office facilities, equipment, literature and journals for Agroforestry Unit

Materials and tools for trial and demonstration plots:

- seeds of Leucaena for direct sowing
- vegetative planting material of vetiver grass, bananas, plantains, Gliricidia
- wire for support of passionfruit
- fertilizer
- fungicides
- tools

Materials and seeds for 3 flying nurseries in Carib territory (already existing) Petite Savanne and Salisbury:

- polythene bags 7 x 5
- fencing wire
- garden forks and spades
- seeds of Leucaena, Calliandra, Sesbania

Personnel

1 Agroforestry Officer
2 Agroforestry Assistants
4 Field Assistants
1 Clerk

NATIONAL LEAD IMPLEMENTING AGENCY

Agroforestry Unit, Forestry and Wildlife Division, Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with Dominica Conservation Association, Agroforestry Project and Agriculture Extension Services.

LINKAGES

- Forestry Nursery project for supply of seedlings

- Agriculture Division for training of extension workers and cooperation in extension

- Dominica Conservation Association/Agroforestry project for project implementation in Carib territory

- Tropical Fruits and Spices project for coordination

- Agricultural field stations for supply of tree crop seedlings

- Multiple Tree Planting project for transport of seedlings and communication about trial results

- Rural Communication Centre for video production

- CARDI for communication of research results

TRAINING

To include:

- participation of agroforestry personnel in agroforestry courses held by CATIE/Costa Rica and ICRAF/Kenya

- training of field assistants in organic agriculture in Dominica (by Mr. Andrew Royer)

- visits to agroforestry projects in the Caribbean

TRIAL PLOTS

In Salisbury region:

1 acre of existing banana cultivation on slope

plantation of hedges of Gliricidia septum, Sesbania grandiflora, Calliandra calothyrsus, Malphigia punicifolia in combination with vetiver grass on contour lines

Spacing between plants: 1. 5 ft.

Spacing between hedge rows: 16 ft.

Several rows of bananas without hedge rows as control

Utilization of legumes as mulch material for bananas

Survey of the 5 different varieties covering

growth of tree species
mortality of tree species
banana production
erosion
labour requirement

The trial should be surveyed for a period of at least two years.

In Petite Savanne:

1/2 acre of existing bay plantation

1/2 acre plantation of legumes for firewood utilization:

Gliricidia sepium
Sesbania grandiflora
Calliandra calothyrsus
Leucaena leucocephala

Plantation of legumes in contour lines, spacing 3 ft. between plants and 8 ft. between rows or alternate rows of legumes and bay trees, if possible

Survey of:

- bay leaf production with different harvesting interval (9/12/15/18 months).

- growth, mortality and firewood production of legume species.

- efficiency of firewood species in bay oil distillation (quantity required per batch of bay leaves).

DEMONSTRATION PLOTS

Bagatelle:

2 acres of steep slope

contour planting of alternate rows of fruit trees and firewood species in combination with vetiver grass strips

land clearing only on contour strips to avoid erosion

spacing between rows 20 ft., within rows 3 ft. for firewood species, 10-20 ft. for fruit trees, depending on species, vetiver strip 1 ft. above firewood row

firewood species: Leucaena, Gliricidia

fruit species: grafted mango, avocado, sugar apple, soursop, West Indian cherry (spaced 2 ft. within rows) cashew

Carib territory:

1 acre of steep slope, 1 acre of moderate slope

on steep slope alternate rows of fruit trees and legume/vetiver strips as in Bagatelle, but use of legumes as support for passionfruit, planted with a spacing of 10 ft. within rows

on moderate slope contour hedges (spaced 1 ft. within rows, 16 ft. between rows) + bananas/plantains + root crops + vegetables + 1/2 acre of cocoa

use of legume contour hedges for mulching

use of animal manure for fertilization of annual crops

Salisbury:

2 acres of existing banana plantation on steep slope

windbreak plantation with mahogany, red cedar, mango, avocado, and spice trees

contour hedges of legumes/West Indian cherry (spaced 2 ft. within rows) and vetiver grass for mulching as in Carib territory, spaced 32 ft. between hedges

cocoa plantation in banana rows, halfway between bananas, shadow trees in the centre between contour hedges

Demonstration plots will be installed on the land of interested farmers who will receive all the benefits of these plots.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL

(a) 1st year: video "Ecological, economic and social development with agroforestry systems", to give a general introduction to existing problems and possible benefits from agroforestry systems

(b) 1st - 3rd year: video "Improvement of agroforestry in Dominica", accompanying the development of the demonstration plots in the first 3 years (establishment, maintenance, effects, etc.)

(c) Preparation of leaflets about:

agroforestry in soil conservation
fertilizing with organic manure and legume mulch
firewood trees - plantation and management
multiple tree cropping on hillsides

REQUIREMENT OF SEEDLINGS

(a)

1st year: 7,000 legume trees (Calliandra, Sesbania, Gliricidia, Leucaena) and 100 forest trees (mahogany, red cedar) from central nursery

300 fruit trees (mango, avocado, soursop, sugar apple. West Indian cherry, cashew), 50 spice trees (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves) and 1500 cocoa plants from agricultural field stations

(b)

2nd - 5th year: 15,000 legume trees from 3 flying nurseries approximately 1000 fruit trees, 200 forest trees, 200 spice trees and 3000 cocoa plants per year

BUDGET

DONOR CONTRIBUTION (US$)

ITEM

YEAR

1

2

3

4

5

1 4xWD vehicle

20,000

-

-

-

-

Maintenance

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

4 Field Assistants

7,800

7,800

7,800

7,800

7,800

Training and travel allowances

15,000

8,000

8,000

4,000

4,000

Office equipment

8,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

Literature and periodicals

2,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

Educational material

3,000

2,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

Material for demonstration and trial plots

10,000

5,000

5,000

5,000

5,000

Material for 3 flying nurseries

-

1,500

200

200

200

Marketing support

8,000

1,000

1,000

500

-

Sub-total

78,000

30,300

34,000

29,500

29,000

TOTAL US$ 202,600






GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION (US$)

ITEM

YEAR

1

2

3

4

5

1 Administration Officer

8,000

8,000

8,000

8,000

8,000

2 Assistants

12,000

12,000

12,000

12,000

12,000

1 Clerk

5,500

5,500

5,500

5,500

5,500

Office facilities

4,000

4,000

4,000

4,000

4,000

Seedlings

2,400

5,280

5,280

5,280

5,280

Sub-total

31,900

36,780

36,780

36,780

36,780

TOTAL US$ 179,020






GRAND TOTAL US$ 381,620


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