Extension implications of agricultural diversification in the OECS States

Dunstan A.C. Campbell

No 260349, 23rd Annual Meeting, August 23-28, 1987, St. John's, Antigua from Caribbean Food Crops Society

Abstract: The unstable economic situation of monoculture due to markets and weather conditions has pushed and is pushing the policy makers of the OECS States to adopt a new strategy of agricultural development - crop diversification. The programme of crop diversification varies from island to island and at times crop diversification and import substitution are viewed in the same light. As a result of this new thrust, extension programmes are being oriented to meet this need. However, the implementation of these programmes is hindered by: (a) the high price currently received for bananas; (b) the unavailability of a technological package with a strong economic component; (c) the unsuitability of the programme to meet family goals of a continuous cash flaw; (d) the unwillingness of farmers, especially the young farmers, to invest in crops with long gestation periods; (e) the inability of extension workers to fully internalize the economics of crops with long gestation periods, i.e., discounting techniques, and thus to de1iver an effective programme; (f) the goals of most crop diversification programmes - e.g. to have a certain number of trees planted within a certain time - conflict at times with land capability and land use policy. There is need for a re-examination of crop diversification programmes given their importance to the economy of the islands.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Farm Management; International Development; Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 7
Date: 1987-08-23
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/260349/files/23-4.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:cfcs87:260349

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.260349

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in 23rd Annual Meeting, August 23-28, 1987, St. John's, Antigua from Caribbean Food Crops Society
Bibliographic data for series maintained by AgEcon Search ().