FFA Research Digest 2017

98 Envisioning the Future of Extension and Advisory Services in the Caribbean Wayne Ganpat Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI Amy Harder and Austen Moore University of Florida Nearly thirty years have passed since the end of the CaribbeanAgricultural Extension Project (CAEP) with little to no regional coordinationof extension. However, political attention is again turning to public extension.Policy makers are scrutinizing the extension services and demanding extensionin the region be modernized to adequately support regional food security goals.Recent efforts have begun to renew collaborative relationships between actorsleading extension systems throughout the Caribbean Community. Successfulcollaborations are built upon a shared vision. This study was conductedto determine the degree to which a shared future vision for extension andadvisory services (EAS) existed within CARICOM countries. A qualitativeapproach, using focus groups, was used to investigate the perceptions ofEAS directors from nine CARICOM countries. The results provided threemajor themes; relevance, diversity of stakeholders and delivery methods.Concerns about declining relevance and uncertainty about future relevancecontrasted with expressions of an overt desire for increased relevance.Influences on relevance were perceived to be a changing environment.The vision of the modern clientele base has expanded beyond traditionalfarmers to include other actors in the value chain, for example marketersand processors. Moreover, some directors strongly emphasized the needto work with allied service providers. A blend of delivery approacheswas advocated to achieve the common goals of improving livelihoodsand increasing food security. The formal adoption of a shared visionfor the region and creation of supportive policies is recommended. This study provided a foundation for the development of ashared vision for EAS in the Caribbean. Working together, a renewedCaribbean coalition such as the Caribbean Agricultural ExtensionProviders Network (CAEPNet) can generate the motivation and supportneeded to ensure EAS achieves its shared vision of future success.Source: Ganpat, Wayne, Amy Harder, and Austen Moore. \"Envisioning the Futureof Extension and Advisory Services in the Caribbean.\" Journal of InternationalAgricultural and Extension Education 21, no. 3 (2014): 19-31

99 Farmers’ Satisfaction with Extension Services in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Wayne G. Ganpat1, Nicole Webster2 and Lendel K. Narine1 1Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI 2Department of Agricultural Education, Pennsylvania State University The economics of most countries in the Organization of EasternCaribbean States (OECS) are dependent on farming, most of which is donemainly by small farmers in mixed cropping systems. The government isalso the main provider of extension services. This study sought to assessfarmers’ satisfaction with the extensions services and identify areas forimprovement. Some 462 farmers in five OECS countries were selected andsurveyed in 2013. A farmers’ satisfaction index was developed based on 26statements in a Likert-type scale, and used as the dependent variable. Datawere analyzed using STATA 9 and descriptive frequencies and multiplelinear regression results were presented. Results showed that farmers’ overallsatisfaction with extension was moderate. Famers’ age, gender, educationlevel, size of farm, number of parcels farmed, number of extension visitsreceived, and whether farmers operated on a full time or part time basissignificantly influenced farmers’ level of satisfaction. Recommendationsincluded: the redefinition of target farmers, as well as the scope of extensionprograms for intervention to meet these states’ food security goals; theimprovement of the technical capacities of extension officers; the expansionof group development work; and the increased use of ICTs for informationdissemination and the provision of ICT hardware for extension staff.Source: Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education. Volume 21,Issue 3, 2014

100Connecting Small Farmers in the Caribbean to Knowledge, Networks, and Institutions Through ICTs Kenia-Rosa Kinda Campoa, Anton Robinsona, Wendy-Ann Patrice Isaaca and Wayne GanpatbaDepartment of Food Production and bAgricultural Economics and Extension, UWI Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been shownto be useful in agricultural knowledge systems to improve communicationlinkages among research, extension services, and farmers. The end resultwould be new information and technologies being made available to thosewho need it the most in larger numbers and in a timelier manner. Whilethe role of ICTs in stimulating technological, organizational, institutional,and policy innovations in developing countries has been recognized, inmany Caribbean States where ICTs are becoming readily available, thedevelopment and use of ICT in agricultural research and innovationsystems remain under- exploited, despite the fact that the agricultural sectorin these developing nations accounts for a significant amount of the totalemployed labor force. This review traced key developments in ICT use in theagricultural sector in the Caribbean region, while highlighting the challengesas well as the potential of this technology. Several initiatives in the regionare described and suggestions made for the development of innovative,appropriate, and efficient information and communication systems.Source: Campo, Kenia-Rosa Kinda, Anton Robinson, Wendy-Ann Patrice Isaac, andWayne Ganpat. 2017. \"Connecting Small Farmers in the Caribbean to Knowledge,Networks, and Institutions Through ICTs.\" Journal of Agricultural & Food Informa-tion 18, no. 2: 81-95

101 Stakeholder’s Use of Social Media for Enhancing Agricultural Innovation Networks: An Exploratory Study in Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica and St. Kitts Ataharul Chowdhury Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI Collaborators: Wayne Ganpat Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI Helen Hambly Odame School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, ON, Canada Jeet Ramjattan Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Trinidad and Tobago Global and local forces, such as changing client demographics,dwindling resources, competition with new and emerging service providers arecompelling agricultural stakeholders to transform their roles in communicationfor agricultural innovation. In the new landscape of agricultural extensionservices, agricultural innovation underlies interactive and multi-stakeholderapproach that mobilizes ideas, and resources in both public and privaterealms (Chowdhury et al., 2014; World Bank, 2012). Increasingly, digitalcommunication tools broadly referred to as Web 2.0 technologies, and inparticular, social media such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs and webinars areexpected to enable conversations among different stakeholders leading tocollective action and solution of development problems. There is a strongrealization that social media have potentials to create virtual spaces foragricultural stakeholders to interact so that they can co-create knowledge andbuild networks of innovating people, institutions and systems and explorevarious business opportunities in rural area (Fisher, 2011; Cornelisse et al.,2011, Chowdhury and Hambly, 2013). One-third of rural population in theworld is now within the coverage of 3G network (FAO and ITU, 2016). Theincreased access to internet and Smartphone creates a leverage for socialmedia application in agricultural and rural development. In Trinidad &Tobago, Facebook users are estimated to be 486,000 (CTA, 2014a). In theCaribbean islands, stakeholders of agriculture such as small agri-business,producer organizations, traders and extension agents are embarking uponpotential benefits of social media for networking, knowledge exchange and

102learning (CTA, 2014a, CTA 2014b). There is some anecdotal evidence abouthow different stakeholders are using social media for enabling online socialnetworks and agricultural innovation in the Caribbean region. This study is firstof its kind which has been proposed to explore how different stakeholder usesocial media for strengthening online social network and support agriculturalinnovation processes in Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, and St. Kitts. Using a mixed methods strategy and demarcated projects led bygraduate students, the research will be implemented in several phases. In thefirst phase, we will develop an inventory of social media users in agricultureand the food sector. In the second phase, we will use Netlytic (Gruzd, 2006)− an online data mining tool− for collecting data about online interactionof selected stakeholders. Online social media data will be analyzed usingUCINET and NetDraw social network analysis software (Borgatti etal., 2002), and Microsoft SQL server tools. In the final phases, we willconduct key informant interview and a survey to collect data to augmentinitial observations through both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The study will provide insights into the best practices and lessonslearnt in an effort to develop social media strategies for agriculturalinnovation in this region. The insights of the study will also complementongoing local and regional initiatives for ICT in agriculture such as,pilot studies undertaken (social media/mobile applications) by TheUniversity of the West Indies for agricultural market and finance, agri-tourism, agricultural value chain, pest and fisheries management.

103Vertical vs Horizontal Grow Systems: Children’s Assessment of Patchoi Yield in Mayaro Trinidad Lincoln Mc Donald1, Kenia-Rosa Campo1, Wayne Ganpat1 , Wendy-Ann Isaac1, Heidi Diquez2 1 Department of Food Production, UWI 2Perenco Trinidad Protected Agriculture systems have been shown to be profitableseason-extending production tool for many horticultural crops. The aimof this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of the protectedcultivation of three distinct structures on growth of patchoi (Brassicarapa subsp. chinensis) in three primary schools in Mayaro, Trinidad underPerenco Young Growers’ Program. The experimental design utilized wasin factorial scheme, with 3 treatments (vertical growing system, gable flatarch and gable saw tooth {both horizontal systems}) combined with 4evaluation points (7, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplant). The data collectionand plant management was handled by the students within the schools. Theleaf fresh matter was the most significant amongst the structures with thevertical growing system being higher than the two horizontal systems in allevaluated points. The plant dry matter had an increase of 56.28 % in thevertical growth system, 52.78% in the gable flat arch system and 48.72%in the gable saw tooth system 28 days after transplant. The leaf numberpresented significant difference in 14th and 21st day after transplant in boththe horizontal systems, after the 7th day in the vertical growing system theleaf number presented significant difference. The results of the morphologicalparameters reveal that the vertical growth protected cultivation promotesfaster growth and development rates, when to with the horizontal systems.Source: Proceeding of 53rd Annual Meeting, Caribbean Food Crop Society, 2017,Puerto Rico

104 The Potential for Agro-Eco-Tourism from Neotropical Wildlife Production Systems Mannette, G., R. Bhajan and M. D. Singh1 1Department of Food Production, UWI Tourism contributes almost half of the Gross Domestic Product formost Caribbean countries, making it one of the most important economicactivities in the region. Developing the Agro-Eco-tourism sector is anopportunity for increasing revenue in this industry. The use of Neotropicalspecies for Agro-Tourism has the benefit of developing the indigenous animalsfor food production and experiential tourism. The purpose of this paper isto discuss the opportunities for revenue generation, education and researchthrough Neotropical wildlife production systems. There are over 400 registeredwildlife farmers in Trinidad and Tobago, rearing Dasyprocta leporina, Agoutipaca, Dasypus novemcinctus, Mazama Americana, Tayassu tajacu, Iguanaiguana and a number of avian species. 40% of these farmers are hobbyistsand have reported over 100 school visits per year and 250 visitors. Only 1%collects entrance fees of approximately 3 USD per person with 99% of farmersallowing free visits. Farmers are apparently unaware of the economic potentialof Neotropical Animal Production, focusing only on animal production toearn an income. Experiential tourism is a novel idea in Trinidad and Tobago,especially from farm visits. There is a lack of research in this area; however,there is tremendous potential for income generation and development of aneconomic model for Agro-Eco Tourism from Neotropical wildlife production.Presented: 12th International conference on Amazonian Wildlife (XIICIMFAUNA),Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador. 8-12 August, 2016

105GEOGRAPHY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

106 Utilization of Coastal Modelling Towards Analysis and Simulation of Environmental Change of the Beach and Nearshore Habitat of the Leatherback Turtle in Grande Riviere, Trinidad Christopher Alexis and Junior Darsan Department of Geography, UWI Grande Riviere beach is located on the north coast of Trinidadand is one of the most popular beaches in the world to view leatherbackturtles (Dermochelys coriacea). The eastern side of Grande Riviere beachnear the river mouth has been subjected to periodic severe erosion eventsdue to extreme flooding events. As a result of the beach erosion; turtlenests and eggs are lost and there is also damage to coastal infrastructure(hotels) which back the central section of the bay. Due to the sensitivenature of the Grande Riviere environment, there needs to be a thoroughexamination of the beach and nearshore environment under normal andextreme conditions. These findings will provide sound science to informproper management and policy through monitoring and assessing the beachmorphological changes at varying temporal scales; monitoring beach impactsand recovery in response to river discharge and the hydrodynamic conditionsof the bay under tides and storm surges; modelling the hydrologic andoceanographic forcing under normal and extreme conditions of the bay todetermine the influence on beach morphology; monitoring and analyze turtlenesting behaviour in response to beach morphological changes. Beach topographic data would be mined from appropriateGovernmental agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations. The beachmorphology would be captured on a monthly basis by standard surveyingtechniques such as beach profiling and Real Time Kinematic measurementsusing Global Navigational Satellite Systems. Sediment data would be collectedalong the entire beach and within the bay and analyzed against nesting trends.Oceanographic data would be collected with the use of an Acoustic DopplerCurrent Profiler which would provide information on waves and currentswithin the bay. These data would then form inputs for Hydrodynamicmodelling of the bay using the Mike 21, SW, HD and ST modules. Modellingof the bay under normal and extreme conditions would indicate how thebeach and bay responds to these types of forcing. The interaction of theimpacting variables on the beach will be simulated with numerical modelsto determine the sediment transport patterns within the bay. The results willbe applied to the relationship between sediment characteristics and turtlenesting distributions. The findings would allow for improved management ofthe environmentally sensitive area by influencing coastal environment policydecisions locally which can then be applied regionally and internationally.

107Runoff Generation in Tropical Dry Forests Kegan Farrick1­, Brian Branfireun21Department of Earth Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada(Currently Department of Geography, UWI), 2Department of Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada Three complementary investigations were carried out in a smalltropical dry forest watershed, Mexico, to assess the controls that governthe retention and release of rainfall in the catchment as runoff. In the firststudy, the role of infiltration, hydraulic conductivity and surface soil waterrepellency on type of runoff generation mechanism was examined. Thehigh soil surface hydraulic conductivities, absence of a water repellentsurface and low rainfall intensities during the wet season allow most ofthe incoming rainfall to percolate through the near-surface soil layers,suggesting that runoff is generated through a subsurface flow mechanism. In the second study the relationship between soil water storage,rainfall and runoff to improve our understanding of the controls that governstreamflow generation was investigated. Streamflow and soil water at depthsof 10, 20, 50 and 100 cm below the surface was measured from Januaryto December. It was found that two different thresholds were required forstreamflow activation and stormflow generation. The long dry period depletesthe stores of soil water. During the transition from the dry to the wet season,soil water movement was dominated by vertical flow. Only after the 162 mmsoil storage deficit in the upper metre is satisfied, is streamflow activated fromthe catchment. Once streamflow became persistent, the stormflow responsewas almost entirely governed by the rainfall event characteristics and notantecedent soil moisture conditions. It was identified that a 289 mm combinedrainfall and soil water threshold was needed to generate more than 4 mm ofrunoff. The first two studies suggested that flow in the catchment occurred farbelow the soil surface through the displacement of stored water. With this hypothesis in mind, the third study focused on describingthe water flow pathways, source area contribution and stream waterresidence times in the catchment. A combination of isotopic, geochemicaland hydrometric measurements to identify the primary flow paths and watersources in the catchment. Weekly and event based samples of rainfall,streamflow, groundwater and soil water were collected and analysed. Itwas shown that runoff produced during storm events composed primarilyof water previously stored in the catchment, which likely originated fromeither deep subsurface soil layers or groundwater. Also, as wetness increased,the area of the catchment that contributed to runoff increased, likely due toenhanced connectivity. Given the arid climate of the watershed and the knownhydrological literature regarding runoff generation in tropical forests, it wasexpected that runoff in this catchment should be delivered from surface ornear-surface sources. However, the results from the three sub-investigationshave shown that the combination of deep, permeable soil on steep slopeshave a stronger influence on runoff generation in this catchment than climate.

108 Developing Policy-Relevant Valuation Frameworks for Wetland Ecosystems in the Caribbean Stephan Moonsammy Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI Small Island Developing States such as the Caribbean countries areheavily dependent on the natural environment for their economic security.Traditional measures of development in the Caribbean do not fully account forthe economic contribution of natural and environmental resources. In orderfor the Caribbean to progress along a sustainable path, policy makers need toaccount for the welfare economic impacts of ecosystem services provided bythe islands’ habitats. Accounting for the non-market priced natural resourcebase of a country is a crucial element in adjusting national accountingfigures to consider the impacts to the environment. Given the current trendsin development globally and the limited land space available on islands,conflicts with infrastructural development and ecosystem preservation is aprominent issue for planners. Essentially, policy makers need appropriatedecision support to resolve these conflicts using tools founded in e.g. costbenefit analysis. A valuation framework to assess the benefits of conservingecosystems is critical for conducting appropriate cost benefit analysis toguide planners to the most efficient outcome as it relates to resource use.The aim of the research is to derive a policy relevant valuation frameworkwhich is feasible for assessing benefits from environmental improvements in aCaribbean setting. This framework will contribute to the literature on valuingCaribbean ecosystems and ecosystem services in order to derive credibleestimates that can be utilized in benefit cost analysis and environmentalpolicy. Empirically, work will explore the feasibility of different valuationmethodologies to derive the benefits for conserving tropical wetlandecosystems. Tropical wetlands provide an extensive set of non – marketecosystem services such as flood control, water purification, habitat and wasteassimilation. Most of the Caribbean islands depend on the mangrove habitatsin wetlands to control inland flooding, prevent coastal erosion and provideshelter and habitat for fish stocks. Wetlands therefore have an important roleto play for sustainable economic development within the Caribbean context.

109 Development-Induced Displacement in Trinidad and Tobago: An Investigation into the Relocation and Resettlement of the Residents ofDebe, San Francique and Fyzabad due to the Construction of the Debe to Mon Desir Segment of the San Fernando to Point Fortin Highway Sarana Sumesar-Rai Department of Geography, UWI The construction of major transportation networks have oftenbeen viewed as a catalyst to a country’s socio-economic development.However such projects are usually not undertaken in virgin territory andas such they have frequently become associated with the displacementof communities and the destruction of fragile ecosystems. Whereproperty relocation and resettlement takes place involuntarily as peopleare ousted by such development programs, the term development-induced displacement is applied and this can create several complexsocial issues as well as render negative consequences for a community.This study attempts to investigate the experiences of relocation andresettlement of residents in south Trinidad due to the construction of theDebe to Mon Desir leg of the San Fernando to Point Fortin highway. Italso analyses the perceived benefits and/or challenges that residents havefaced or are likely to face due to displacement, relocation and resettlement.The methodology is both qualitative and quantitative employing the useof face-to-face in-depth interviews designed to uncover and describe thehuman experience of displacement, relocation and resettlement and toreveal the social understanding and cultural representation of the residents. The results of such an analysis may indicate that the constructionof this segment of the highway can generate both positive and negativeconsequences for the affected residents. Benefits may include reducedtraffic congestion and increased connectivity to southern centers. Expectedchallenges may involve loss of lands, homes and cultural spaces, loss ofaccess to community resources, unemployment, marginalization and socialdisintegration where the social networks, personal ties and cohesive fabricwithin a community are torn apart as a result of relocation to facilitate thehighway construction. Where the consequences of relocation and resettlementpose a severe challenge to residents, such data can assist stakeholders andpolicymakers in closing existing gaps between infrastructural developmentdecisions and their possible adverse effects on the lives of affected individuals.As such, the outcomes of this research can guide policy decisions ontransportation planning and infrastructural development and address concernsarticulated by residents with respect to development-induced displacement.

110 Society, Turtles and Environmental Change in Grande Riviere - towards Sustainable Management of a Vulnerable Community Junior Darsana, Matthew Wilsona, Keith Millerb, Vincent Cooperc, Asha Singhd, Priya Kissoona, Kegan Farricka aDepartment of Geography, bDepartment of Geomatics, cDepartment of Civil Engineering, UWI dEnvironmental Governance Consulting The community of Grande Riviere, in particular the beach, has gainedinternational recognition and prominence owing to the high density nestingof one of the world’s endangered marine species – the giant leatherback turtle(Dermochelys coriacea). This beach is also a point of confluence for thewaves that wash ashore and an outlet for river systems which winds its wayfrom the nearby Northern Range and natural watershed. This makes GrandeRiviere beach one of the most dynamic systems in Trinidad yet one of the mostvulnerable, with low resilience to natural and anthropogenic forces. Episodicextreme flooding of the Grande Riviere River leads to the shifting of the rivermouth and results in severe beach erosion sometimes in a single floodingevent. Consequently, the turtle nesting sites bear the brunt of the hazard,risking direct damage to existing nests or higher mortality rates of hatchlings. The objectives of the study are to monitor and assess the beachmorphological changes at varying temporal scales; evaluate the impactson river discharge and the hydrodynamic conditions of the bay underextreme tides and storm events; model the oceanographic forcing undernormal and extreme conditions to determine how they interplay toaffect beach morphology; map and analyze turtle nesting behaviour inresponse to beach morphological changes; and conduct a community-based vulnerability assessment to ascertain the potential impacts ofenvironmental changes to their socio-economic standard of living.Coastal geomorphological data are being collected on coastal processes,beach profiles and sediment using standard geomorphologicaltechniques. Hydrodynamic modelling of the bay is being developedusing the Mike 21, SW, HD and ST modules. Turtle nests are beinggeo-located using GPS and trends analyzed using GIS software.Additionally, socio-economic surveys are being conducted to assesslevels of vulnerability and current adaptation strategies to climate change.Theoutcomesareexpectedtosupportpolicyinterventioninadditiontoservingasknowledge creation for replication nationally, regionally and internationally. Itwillprovidesolutionstoreducingvulnerability,buildingresilience,encouragingadaptation to climate change effects and support sustainable eco-tourism.

111Sustainable Management of Tropical Small Island Ecosystems for theOptimization of Soil Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services: A Case of Aripo Savannahs, Trinidad Melissa A. Atwell1, Mark N. Wuddivira2 and Matthew Wilson1 1Department of Geography and 2Department of Food Production, UWI Terrestrial ecosystems are vital for livelihoods and development,and control important biogeochemical, hydrological and atmosphericprocesses. However, its finite geographical nature puts it at potentiallygreater anthropogenic risk of degradation. The Aripo savanna, Trinidad is thelargest surviving natural savanna ecosystem in the islands of the Caribbeanand is home to many endemic species of fauna and flora. Unsustainableanthropogenic land use activities have taken place throughout the years,these include timber harvesting, quarrying, as a military base, residentialsquatting and agriculture. These unsustainable land uses have underminedthe ecosystem services provided by the savanna degrading the soil’secosystem and biodiversity, limiting its value. The magnitude of degradationand the impacts of the unsustainable activities have not been systematicallyinvestigated. This research therefore focuses on: 1) valuing the soil’s naturalcapital under different land uses in humid tropical savannas; 2) trade-offanalyses to determine the loss and gains made due to varying land uses;3) decision-support tools such as value maps and predictive scenarios todetermine future trends. Novel non-invasive geophysical techniques usingelectromagnetic induction (EMI) have been employed in the characterizationand detailed imaging of the spatial variability of soil in a land use gradient.Soil samples were collected using directed sampling design based oninherent within field variability as detected by the electromagnetic sensor.Experimentation of soil biochemical and geophysical parameters includingcarbon storage and sequestration was used to determine values, trade-offsand synergies. Various classical and geostatistical analyses and process-based models to determine relationships and patterns of spatial distributionbetween different parameters were used throughout this research. Bymapping the varying values in the land use in the Aripo savanna, one cannow develop recommendations to assist decision-makers with policydevelopment as well as determining parametrization, connectivity, feedbackprocesses, critical threshold levels that exist in the soil ecosystem. Thiswork can also help to mitigate ecosystem degradation, climate changeimpacts and enhance sustainability. The modelling and prediction of futuretrends of the ecosystem service cycles can contribute to the developmentof sustainable strategies for the improvement of terrestrial ecosystems.Source: Journal of Soils and Sediments (2017)

112 An Ecosystem Services Approach to Sustainable Management of an Ecologically Sensitive Area: The Case of Grande Riviere, Trinidad Sayyida Ali and Junior Darsan Department of Geography, UWI The community of Grande Riviere is driven largely by conservationefforts and recognition of the area as a prime nesting ground for theendangered leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) and the blue-throatedpiping-guan (Pipile cumanensis). Turtle nesting is the fundamental ecosystemservice provider to villagers and tourists through income from tourism,recreation and education. Climate change with its associated sea level risehas implications for the beach habitat and therefore places communitylivelihoods at risk. It is in this context that Grande Riviere is used as a casestudy to create knowledge the society and policy makers need to effectivelyrespond to environmental change while meeting economic and socialgoals. This research aims to determine dependency on the beach service asa habitat; value the services provided by the environment and examine theuse of natural resources while, assessing the conflicts between beneficiariesand losers. The study also aims at creating a management frameworkfor this vulnerable community within the context of climate change.Moreover, the focus of this study is the integrated socio-ecologicalsystem. The framework for Ecosystem Service Provision was adopted asit represents and captures the dynamic relationships between the elementsof this system (Rounsevell et al. 2010). Records of secondary data arebeing sourced from governmental and non-governmental agencies onleatherback turtle nesting, economic activity, quantities of natural resourceusage, data from social surveys and demographics to establish a baselineand historical context to evaluate emergent patterns. Data on turtle nestingbehaviour over two nesting seasons were collected using GPS and mapped,trends will be analysed using GIS software. As a major user of the beachresource, questionnaires are being administered to tourists with choice andcontingent valuations. Structured interviews with key stakeholders, theinhabitants of Grande Riviere and nearby similarly sensitive communitiesare being conducted. Tourism intake is being calculated from interviewswith hoteliers and guesthouse managers. A stakeholder meeting will be heldat the end of the study to disseminate information collected and to discussresults and proposed alternatives with the inhabitants of the community. This research seeks to reduce vulnerability, build resilience andencourage adaptation to climate change effects in the isolated rural communityof Grande Riviere.

113 A snapshot of the housing histories of socially displaced persons Priya Kissoon Department of Geography, UWI Approximately 100 street dwellers in Port of Spain, San Juan,and San Fernando were interviewed. The research reconceptualizes streetdwelling along a continuum of housing types and circumstances andaddresses homelessness by situating people’s present housing conditionsin the context of their whole housing histories, including personalvulnerabilities and structural factors that contributed to their homelessnessand that keep them from attaining and retaining stable housing. By exposing the roots of street-dwelling, this research sensitizes thepublic and policy makers to the trajectories that precede homelessness, whichshould make it easier for stakeholders to respond with both care and attention.As part of the research, a map of participants’ street-dwelling locationsin relation to resources available for homeless persons, as well as street-dwellers’ communities of origin. This can be used to link homelesspersons to nearby resources and to illustrate the distance of people’s socialdisplacement from their communities to the streets, thereby indicatingthe place of rural homelessness and residential mobility in people’shousing histories. In effect, the mapping has a dual role: to illustrate sitesof intervention that could have kept people housed before the pavementsseemed like their only resort; and also to reveal cities as sites of benevolencefor people living in the darkest recesses of the margins of society.Until more permanent solutions to street-dwelling are researchedand assessed for their feasibility in a local context, there is a networkof charitable, faith-based, and government-supported initiatives tofeed, clothe, bathe, heal, and temporarily shelter homeless people. Recognizing the present limitations in housing supply, outreach andprogrammes to keep homeless persons healthy, clean, and active can reducethe stigma of street dwelling by improving the everyday conditions of streetdwellers’ lives.

114 Indigenous Geographies, Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice Levi Gahman, Department of Geography, UWI The question of Indigenous people’s right to sovereignty is not merelyhypothetical,nordoesitsmarginalstatusmeanthatitisnotworthyofinvestigation.It is, indeed, a legitimate political query with real, material consequencesthat are borne out in everyday life. The same can also be said of Indigenous peoples’histories, languages,knowledge systems, traditional agricultural practices, and perspectives onthe environment. Indigenous peoples’ worldviews have by and large beendeliberately forced to the margins, and continue to often be met with confusionor contempt. This is an issue of social justice, and one that university workersare implicated in, particularly those of us who are researching and writingabout food, agricultural, sustainability, and the environment. Granted, a quickand easy answer, as well as solution to the problems underpinning the queryposed at the outset of this piece will not be all that easy to find. It does,nevertheless, foreground a host of political, social, and ecological issues thatneed to be analyzed and resolved, despite the complexities that are bound toarise in grappling with it. A research team from The Institute for Gender and DevelopmentStudies (IGDS) and Department of Geography hosted a symposiumwith 30 Indigenous community representatives, inclusive of leadersfrom Akawaio, Garifuna, Kalinago, Lokono Arawak, Machushi, Maho,Mopan Maya, Q’eqchi Maya, Wapichan, and Warrau First Peoples,from across the Circum-Caribbean to speak to issues of environmentalmanagement, land rights, food systems, social development, and culturalpreservation. The pressing need for such a discussion to take place, as wellas be comprised of Indigenous people themselves, was also the positiontaken by the Antipode Foundation, which sponsored the symposium. The main goal of the symposium was to create a space whereIndigenous attendees could speak freely, on their own terms, about theirexperiences and viewpoints on issues related to land rights, farmingtechniques, environmental sustainability, capitalist exploitation, statenegligence, corporate extraction, and community organizing. The stories thatemerged will be distributed across the region, as well as globally, in the formof an edited collection of the insights that were shared during the gathering.

115FACULTY COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS' SUMMARIES

116 CARIWATNET Project: Strengthening the Caribbean Scientific Community in Natural Resources Management and Developing Integrated Watershed Management Trinidad Team Leader Carlisle Pemberton, Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWI and Project Team Leader, Coen Ritsema Wageningen University, The Netherlands The “Strengthening the Caribbean Scientific Community inNatural Resources Management and Developing Integrated WatershedManagement” (CariWatNet) project was a joint effort of The University ofthe West Indies, Wageningen University of the Netherlands, the Universityof Haiti, the Haitian Ministry of Agriculture and CIRAD of Martinique.Main objectives and activities of the research project:(a) Strengthen the Caribbean scientific community by assessing futureresearch needs in the region in relation to sustainable use and managementof natural resources, to train ACP scientific partners in proposal writing,capitalizing research results, and improving overall quality of research.(b) Construct vibrant multi-stakeholder networks in four selectedwatersheds (two in Trinidad and Tobago and two in Haiti) within the Caribbeanregion consisting of members from the government, local authorities,NGOs, scientists, farmers and forestry organisations, Water and SewerageAuthority, land users and land owners to jointly identify stakeholders’needs and potential approaches to improve current watershed conditions.(c) Monitor current land use and hydrological conditions in thefour selected watersheds using harmonized measurement methodsand procedures, with special attention to quantifying and analysingenvironmental risks like erosion, flooding, pollution and loss of biodiversity.(d) Formulate and define Integrated Watershed Management Plans for theselected project areas in close collaboration with the multi-stakeholder networksand under guidance of the scientists participating in the CariWatNet project.(e) Communicate and disseminate achieved results to a wide rangeof national and international audiences, specifically policy makers andgovernmental institutions in the region, for further implementationand follow-up when making decisions on wider spatial scales.Main Achievements:The project consisted of seven major interrelated Work Packages consistingof activities carried out in Trinidad and Haiti. The main achievements were1. The project strengthened the Caribbean scientific partner institutionsin natural resources management through capacity building such asworkshops, and participating staff and students of The University of theWest Indies to pursue PhD courses allowed at Wageningen University.

1172. The project initiated, strengthened and expanded a network withexisting or potential stakeholders to promote good governance ofwatershed management in two watersheds in Trinidad and Tobago(also two watersheds in Haiti were also included in the wider project).3. The project set up a measurement schedule to survey land use andmanagement practices, and hydrology and conduct water sampling in theproject watershed sites and to monitor land and water utilization and waterpollution.4. Two watershed management plans were developed for the AripoWatershed and the Plum Mitan Rice Scheme in the Nariva Swamp.5. Training and capacity building by the use of workshops were conductedfor the stakeholders in the communities in the selected watersheds. Several related research activities were also facilitated by thisproject. One such activity was research carried out by UWI students on therisk behaviour of farmers in Caroni County. This involved mapping risksfaced by farmers, so that information is now available on the areas in thiscounty where farmers report that they are particularly affected by differenthazards, such as flooding and praedial larceny. A corollary to this was astudy on the characteristics of farmers in the county who take measures tomitigate their risks. Another study was completed on the willingness to payfor improvements in watershed management by residents of the Aripo Valley. The project received recognition and support regionally andinternationally through collaborations with various institutions, somementioned above, and attracted external funding through the ACP Scienceand Technology Programme of the European Development Fund of theEuropean Union. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed betweenThe UWI and Wageningen University to ensure continued collaboration inproject activities. A unique feature of this project was the opportunity for capacitybuilding and international networking for seven students from WageningenUniversity and one from Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms – Unversität,Bonn, Germany, who spent three months each in Trinidad, visiting TheUWI and the project study areas. The UWI staff and students also deepenedtheir knowledge of natural resources management through visits andtraining courses in Mexico, the Netherlands, Haiti and Martinique. Alsoseveral UWI students participated as graduate and student assistants; oneis continuing research in the Nariva Swamp for a PhD degree at UWI. ThisprojectreceivedtheMostOutstandingInternationalResearchProject Award in 2014 for bringing the most international attention toresearch conducted at The UWI St. Augustine Campus, and attractingthe most international funding to support a specific research project.

118 School Dropouts in Trinidad & Tobago Priya Kissoon1 and Jeniffer Mohammed2 1Department of Geography 2School of Education, UWI The Department of Geography spearheaded a national researchproject on primary and secondary school dropouts (early school-leaverused interchangeably). The project engaged relevant government ministries, NGOs, and theprivate sector at all phases of the research, and trained and employed nearly100 community-based surveyors to conduct about 1900 in-depth surveysusing questionnaires.The national study defined dropping out as not writing primary or secondaryschool exams, and staying out of school for at least a year (visit http:/sta.uwi.edu/rdifund/projects/schooldropouts for more info). Implicit in thisdefinition are the complex pathways in and out of formal and informaleducational opportunities that people choose after leaving school. Accordingto official national statistics, about 0.17% of primary-school children fail tosit their school-leaving exam every year compared with 1% of secondary-school children per year (about 1,000 students between Forms 1 -5). Thistotals to 1,370 children who were let down by society, including the educationsystem, families, and communities. Children, of course have minds and makedecisions that sometimes reveal stubbornness, willfulness or agency, whichcan undermine their life-course. This is why school-leaving is not a decisionthat children should be making positively, or apathetically, for themselves;moreover, no child deserves to have early school-leaving or dropping outas a terminal point in their education or learning. All children, and society,deserve better. The issue of school dropouts is the subject of public attention,particularly as it relates to employment instability and crime. The project sought to determine empirically what obstacles primaryand secondary school early-leavers faced, what they achieved, and whatcould be learned from their experiences to improve outcomes for the in-school and out-of-school populations. The community-based surveyorsinterviewed adults who were 18-45 years old, which is a demographicthat is active in the labour market and at the peak of their life-course. Twenty-two per cent of participants left school for financialreasons, while unemployment affected about the same proportion of thepopulation in later years as adults (21%). Nearly 60 percent of peoplewho dropped out of school have never worked in the formal sector, whichis particularly important when analyzing urban-rural educational divisions,

119opportunities for labour-market absorption, and opportunities for furtherskills training and specialization. Primary-school leaving disproportionatelyaffects more rural districts, which demonstrates a need for resource-management that channels support to primary schools with the greatestneeds. Although urban areas had a greater proportion of secondary-school dropouts, interviews with experts and officials indicated this mayalso be a symptom of oversights and neglect at the primary-school level.Although media often tag the term dropouts with criminality and crime,the national sample found that only about 14 per cent of participants hadbeen in jail at some point (remand was not distinguished from conviction). In addition, a special sub-sample of 107 interviews were conductedwith incarcerated men and women who were serving sentences for crimesthey committed. Both formerly and currently incarcerated participantsidentified themselves as having much lower social and financial needfor support after leaving school than the general population of schooldropouts, begging further research on if, and how, crime pays. This projecton dropouts is timely; while few dropouts end up in a life of crime manyyoung offenders share the common characteristic of doing poorly at school.An overwhelming majority (88%) believed that education is a priorityfor their children, acknowledging the constraints in the world of workwithout secondary school certification, the accomplishment of tertiarylevel studies, and the demands of advanced industrial, service, andcreative sectors for educated employees and entrepreneurs they explained:“If I have to walk naked to make sure they do their work I will- out here toohard for people without an education.”“I want my children to be successful and do better than me. Right now I amvery proud of my first child because he is about to start UWI this year whichis a great accomplishment for me seeing that I didn't finish primary school.”“Technological advancement in the present day demands having education ora person would be lost.” Thefindingshaveimplicationsfortheeducationsystemaswellasfortheprovision of post-secondary training opportunities and the labour market. Mostsignificantly, it provides data on a special population of young vulnerable adults. The project, has the potential to move the national conversationtowards the imperative for crafting a more inclusive education systemthat strengthens and supports those at risk for early school leaving,thereby improving the quality of life for all.Results of this study are available online http:/sta.uwi.edu/rdifund/projects/schooldropouts/. This website hosts minutes, downloadable material,presentations, maps and statistics.

120 Project: “The State of Caribbean School Feeding” (SCSF) Team Leader Carlisle Pemberton Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, UWIAn FAO funded project being conducted, starting 2017, out of theDepartment of Agricultural Economics and Extension.The pupose of the project is to conduct a study of the state of the schoolfeeding programme in 14 CARICOM Caribbean countries. Specific objectivesinclude:1. i) The scale and mechanisms of operation, ii) procurement/public purchasing schemes and modalities (including the role of foodvendors in schools), iii) governance structure and policy framework atnational and community levels, iv) assessment and analysis of economiccosts and benefits, v) assessment and analysis of educational andnutritional aspects and vi) the monitoring and evaluation systems existing.2. Making specific recommendations in the form of a guidelinedocument to improve nutritional quality of food served in schools and toassess the feasibility of public procurement/public purchasing schemesfor school feeding programme from small scale and family farmers.3. Publication of a document to be titled, “The State of Caribbean SchoolFeeding Programme:Adriver for nutrition education and domestic production”.• A methodology will be developed to conduct the project based onprevious and/or existing experiences.• Situation analyses of the state of school feeding will be performedfor each CARICOM country.• A report will be prepared on the state of the art of the school feedingprogramme in the Caribbean. This report will also present general andspecific recommendations for countries and the Caribbean as a region, onhow the nutritional quality of foods served in schools can be improved andhow public procurement and purchasing schemes from small scale and familyfarms can be introduced and fostered.

121 Technological Solutions for improved Agro-environment and Sustainability of Agricultural Development Wendy-Ann P. Isaac1, Wayne G. Ganpat2, Nkosi Felix1, Jessica Churaman1, Brandon Murphy1 and Keon Ford1 1Department of Food Production 2Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Global increase in food prices and concerns on the concomitantimpact on food security of nations within the Caribbean have greatly increasedthe need to identify technologies that can increase food production andproductivity to satisfy local demands. One of the most pressing impedimentsto agriculture, will come from climate change-related consequences such aschanging weather patterns and pest and disease resistance. Environmentalfailures such as droughts and floods happen, and climate change is leadingto more variability and unexpected events in agriculture. This RDI fundedproject aims to enable a strengthening of climate-smart agriculture technologythrough a number of research activities which stimulates agriculturalinnovation and promotes an academic-public (Secondary schools) -private(house-hold communities) partnership to improve applied research as wellas advance development and engineering education and application. Theproject has four major objectives:1. Identification of suitable low-input and low-cost structures andnovel non-traditional production technologies for small producers in tropicalenvironments. Finding alternative, low-cost options to the highly priced, importdriven protected agriculture (PA) industry, is one of the aims of this objective.Alternatives include the use of appropriate technologies, rain shelters andnet houses, using locally available, lower priced materials, such as bamboo,lumber and PVC. Several non-traditional production technologies to be used incombination with these appropriate PA systems will be evaluated. Evaluationof cost-benefit (production and cost) and durability of low input shade housesmade from lumber, bamboo and PVC are currently being tested. In additionto evaluating innovative low cost non-traditional systems for sustainable foodproduction, heat reducing technologies for improved growing conditionsin low cost structures, coverings, misting/fogging systems, energy-savinglighting technology utilizing alternate energy sources such as solar are beingtested. In implementing non-traditional systems for small-scale farming,aimed at strengthening local food security and adapting traditional openfield farming methods in the face of rapidly changing climates the projectprogramme uses the Agricultural Demonstration of Practices & Technologies(ADOPT) initiative which is set up with the mission to implement purposefulprojects that focus on reviving the interest of young people into a new and

122innovative sustainable agriculture and also enlightening smallholder farmerson practicing agriculture in a sustainable manner. Two systems developed under this objective are the Plant Factoryand Roof-Top projects. The Plant Factory is currently testing LED, Plasmaand T5-Flourescent grow lights. This project will be scaled up for testing in20 and 40-foot containers. The fully controlled plant factory is a system togrow the vegetables with artificial light and no use of sunlight. It can providesafe and secure production of vegetables in a clean room without pesticideusing hydroponics. The system is fully automated with a Hydropod App,indicating alerts to users. This controlled-environment technology increasesthe yield rate of vegetable growth without the threat from weather, climate orcontaminants. Soilless technology and a lighting network that balances lightemissions and advances photosynthesis through exposing the plants to increasedlevels of carbon dioxide could significantly increase vegetable production.2. Improved production and productivity through novel technologiesthat span the value chain. Under this objective, the project seeks to evaluateIntegrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies which stress on naturalalternatives for improved productivity of leafy vegetables, tomatoes andsweet peppers in low-cost PA systems and plant factory. It also examinespost-harvest studies for these crops to improve shelf-life.3. Improved technical support and services provided to the PA industryand open field (training courses, praedial larceny study, lab services –diagnostics). This objective seeks to develop technical support and servicesto stakeholders by providing training courses (“Principles and Practices ofProtected Agriculture Systems in the Tropical Environments”), capacitybuilding support (training) to stakeholders in the areas of diagnostics (pests– arthropods and pathogens) via the Virtual Outreach App. Another studyunder this objectives seeks to evaluate GPS/GIS technology to strengthenpraedial larceny constraints to improve food supply. This study is based on thefindings of two focus group studies recently concluded by team researcherswith farmers in 2 farming areas in Trinidad (Orange Grove and MaracasValley) where praedial larceny is a major concern. GPS/GIS devices willbe installed in these communities with collaborating farmers and evaluated.Proximity sensors operating in non-visual mode would be deployed at thecultivation sites. These sensors will be either configured for direct InternetProtocol (IP) communications or tethered to a site router using wireless LANconnectivity. GPRS or other wireless broadband infrastructure will be usedto send alerts of site where databases will log alert events and geographiclocations. Web software applications available to both security coordinatorsand praedial larceny first responders can immediately identify engagedlocations and guide teams to the site. Security coordinators can also alert

123farmers or other stakeholders via text message, phone calls or email using adatabase of contact details maintained for each cultivation site.4. Capacity building of stakeholders (workshop based) and informationaccess (support to the professionalization of producers). The emphasis of this objective is on the delivery of effectiveidentification of gaps and strengthening of stakeholders including extensionservices through participatory mechanisms, supporting producers. To date theproject has hosted several training workshops to stakeholders in Hydroponicsand Aquaponics, summer camps – AgroGalaxy 21st Century (2016) andTechAgri (2017) for children between the ages 5-19, community trainingthrough the ADOPT-FAITH (Food Always In The Home) Backyard initiative(Sustainable vegetable production) in collaboration with the PersonalMinistries Department of the SDA church, the VI-Grow-System project,which is a collaborative effort with the Department of Optometry; creatingplanting systems for the visually impaired. The project has also partneredwith REPSOL (now PERENCO) in constructing innovative grow systemsin Primary and Secondary schools in Mayaro, Manzanilla and Rio Claroand training sessions for teachers and students. The project has conductedtwo annual ADOPT National Secondary School competitions to promoteinnovation and entrepreneurship to agricultural students in secondaryschools. School entries were expected to provide a solution to problems inthe agricultural sector through one of four focal areas:1. Reduce Recycle and Reuse: develop a process, product, or servicethat promotes environmental conservation.2. Technological: develop a process, product, or service which involvesthe use of the latest technologies.3. Business Application: develop a process, product, or service that canbe commercialized.4. Renewable Energy: develop a process, product, or service thatmaximizes use of renewable energy.Finally, through this objective the project also seeks to improve informationaccess to stakeholders through the formation of a support ADOPT websitewith links to value chain actors. This website will also consist of informationproducts (including videos) for dissemination to industry stakeholders. Theultimate goal of this project is to therefore serve as a catalyst for sustainableagriculture and food security in Trinidad and Tobago. The prospect is toconfront barriers of regional fragmentation and vulnerability with regionalcollaborations that transfer knowledge, adapt it to community-basedneeds, and improve food security and social resilience at the local level..Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Trinidad and Tobago Researchand Development Impact Fund (RDI Fund)