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Appendix 1 - Basic data about Dominica

DOMINICA: "VITAL STATISTICS"

The country of Dominica is the most northerly and largest of the Windward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean. It lies between the French islands of Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south.

Location

Latitude: 15 degrees 20 minutes North
Longitude: 61 degrees 22 minutes West

Area

751 sq km (289.5 sq mi) - approximately 50 km (30 miles) long, 22 km (14 miles) wide

Population

Last census (1981): 73,795
Estimated by GOCD (1988): 81,335
Largely concentrated around the capital of Roseau in the south and Portsmouth in the north, both on the leeward coast

Language

English; a local French Patois is also spoken

Economy

Predominantly agricultural; a growing tourism sector, largely nature tourism-oriented; small but lively manufacturing sector

Primary Crops

Bananas are the major crop, exported mostly to the UK; citrus crops (oranges, grapefruit and limes) also important; coconut crop consumed primarily for production of soap and cooking oil; other agricultural efforts: coffee and cocoa crops, pilot aquaculture projects, and cultivation of ornamental flowers for export.

Tourism

Tourism geared to nature holidays with facilities for hiking, diving, fishing and river bathing. Earnings from tourism becoming a more visible part of GDP, notwithstanding the lack of direct international air links.

Ports

Two minor ports (Roseau and Portsmouth); Roseau maintains a deep water harbor at Woodbridge Bay north of the capital; Prince Rupert's Bay at Portsmouth provides a smaller harbor which is less deep but more sheltered than Roseau.

Airports

Main airport is at Melville Hall on the windward coast, some 40 miles from the capital; a secondary, smaller airport is located at Canefield, three miles from Roseau.

Roads

750 km (467 miles) of roadway, of which 500 km (312 miles) are paved

Rainfall

Interior: 250-300 inches/year; coastal lowlands: 50-70 inches/year; over 80 percent of the island has 2,500 mm (100 inches) or more of rainfall a year

Physical Features

High volcanic peaks rising in the south (Morne Trois Pitons) to 1,424 m (4,670 feet) and in the north (Morne Diablotin) to 1,730 m (4,747 feet); deep forests, lakes, waterfalls and numerous rivers; little flat land apart from the Portsmouth area which has two swamps.

Eastern Caribbean Natural Area Management Program - Survey of Conservation Priorities in the Lesser Antilles - RESOURCE DATA MAPS · DOMINICA

OBJECTIVES:.

- control soil erosion
- protect watersheds and streams ' - improve microclimate for agricultural crops
- reduce risks of hurricane damage
- diversify production
- improve environmental awareness of farmers and extension workers

OUTPUTS:

- windbreak, shelterbelt, roadside and streamside plantation with double rows of different trees: 10,000 meters in 1st year, increasing to 26,000 meters in 5th year

- plantation of 50 acres with contour strips of legume trees and vetiver grass for soil conservation in the first year, increasing to 200 acres in the fifth year

- environmental education for extension workers, farmers etc.

- coordination of efforts of Agriculture and Forestry Division

ACTIVITIES:

- training of MOA and DBMC extension workers in conservation measures
- production of video for extension workers
- yearly selection of priority areas
- promotion of programme through extension workers and media
- lining of contour lines and windbreak location
- transport of seedlings from nurseries to fields
- assistance to farmers for planting
- provision of materials for the protection of plants from livestock
- production of video for farmers during 1st year's activities
- coordination with diversification programmes

BENEFITS:

- maintenance and improvement of soil fertility
- long-term increase of agricultural productivity through wind protection and soil conservation
- production of firewood and timber
- production of fruits, nuts and spices
-creation of favourable conditions for wildlife
- improvement of water supplies
- enhancement of beauty of the country

LOCATION:

- steep banana fields and root crop plantations
- wind-exposed banana stands
- roadsides endangered by erosion
- banks of streams

SPECIES TO BE PLANTED:

- for windbreaks, shelterbelts etc.

# avocado
# cashew
# mango
# tamarinde
# cinnamon
# cloves
# cocoa
# galba
# white cedar
# mahogany
# teak

- for contour strips (soil conservation)

# Calliandra
# Sesbania
# Gliricidia
# Leucaena
# Vetiver grass

SEEDLINGS AND PLANTS REQUIRED PER YEAR:


1st year

2nd year

3rd year

4th year

5th year

legume trees

30, 000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

timber trees

4,000

5,000

7,000

8, 000

12,000

fruit trees

4, 000

5,000

7, 000

8, 000

12, 000

spice trees

1,000

1, 000

1,000

2, 000

2, 000

cocoa

depending on cocoa project

Vetiver grass

growing demand: approximately 1000 m2 multiplication area

Another part of contour legumes will be sown directly (Leucaena)

INPUTS:

- 2 Forestry Assistants (part time 50 %)
- 1 Clerk/Typist
- 1 Driver
- 1 4WD vehicle
- 1 truck
- material and staff for video production
- fencing material for plant protection against livestock
- seedlings and vetiver plants (from forestry nursery and MOA).
- seeds (Leucaena) and cuttings (gliricidia, galba)
- tools

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY:

Agroforestry Unit, Forestry and Wildlife Division, Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with Dominica Banana Marketing Corporation and Ministry of Agriculture Extension Services

LINKAGES:

- nursery project for supply of seedlings

- Agriculture Division for training of extension workers and promotion of programme and supply of vetiver grass plants

- Tropical Fruits and Spices Project for coordination

- agricultural field stations for supply of tree crop seedlings

- Rural Communications Centre for video production

- Dominica Banana Marketing Corporation for training of extension workers and promotion of programme

- Agroforestry Development Project for utilization of experiences of trial and demonstration plots

- Cocoa and Tropical Tree and Spices Projects for coordination

PROJECT BUDGET:

(US-Dollars) Multipurpose Tree Planting

Item

year 1

year 2

year 3

year 4

year 5

a) Donor Contribution

1 4WD vehicle

20,000





Maintenance

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

1 Truck

30,000





Maintenance

6,000

7,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Video production

3,000

2,000




Seeds, cuttings.

1,000

1,500

2,000

3,000

4,000

Fencing material

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

Tools/equipment

3,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

SUB TOTAL

73,000

23,500

25,000

30,000

35,000

b) Government Contribution

2 Agroforestry






Assistants

20,000

20,000

20,000

20,000

20,000

1 Clerk

6,000

6,000

6,000

6,000

6,000

1 Driver

4,000

4,000

4,000

4,000

4,000

Office facility

6,000

6,000

6,000

6,000

6,000

Seedlings (fruit and spice trees)

6,000

7,200

9,600

12,000

16,800

SUB TOTAL

42,000

43,200

45,600

48,000

52,800

TOTAL 1

15,000

66,700

70,600

78,000

87,800

TOTAL DONOR CONTRIBUTION

186,500

TOTAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION

231,600

GRAND TOTAL

418,100 US$

PROJECT DOCUMENT

AGROFORESTRY DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION:

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 at establishing 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 solution to existing problems:

# 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

# 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.

# 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 Salibury might be presented separately)

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

Agricultural profiles for particular tree crops

crop

season

main cultivars

age
(yrs)

yield
(tons/acre)

retail price
(cents/lb)

banana

all year

Robusta

-

6.00

30-40

grape fruit

aug-mar

Marsh Ruby

1-25

2.52

11-25

oranges

aug-feb

W. Navel Valencia

1-30

0.48

30-55

limes

apr-july
(nov-dec)

W.I.

1-50

0.99

50-80

tangerine

july-dec


1-20

1.50

50-80

mandarin






Mango (grafted)

apr-sept

Julie

1-40

1.00

55-85

avocado

jun-dec

Various

1-5

0.68

50-95

Guava

all year

local pink

1-20

?

20-50

data for bananas for 1989, other crops 1985; yield estimates approximate

(source: BBD/Tropical Development and Research Institute, 1986; Dominica Marketing Corporation 1990)


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