PROJECT DOCUMENT
MULTIPURPOSE TREE PLANTING PROJECT
INTRODUCTION:
Traditionally, Dominicans have planted trees for fruits, nuts, timber, shade, windbreaks, ornaments etc. Recently the practice of planting trees has been slowly disappearing, as a result of a practice of intensive agriculture, especially banana cultivation, geard towards producing for export markets. As a result of laminar soil erosion the soil fertility has been so greatly diminished that large sums of money have to be spent for fertilizers and the agricultural production in the future is endangered. Bananas are damaged as a result of lack of windbreaks. Springs of high importance for the population are reported to dry as a result of converting watersheds into agricultural land and streams are contaminated by the spraying of pesticides close to the embankments. Roads suffer from landslides and timber as well as firewood for the distillation of bay oil and for burning charcoal is becoming scarce in various areas so that persons complain about the further distances they have to travel in order to collect wood.
DESCRIPTION:
These problems of growing importance shall be tackled by a multipurpose tree planting programme. Farmers are aware of the problems and many show interest in projects of soil conservation and environmental protection. Planting will be realized by farmers, the project will be resposible for promotion, organizing, transport and assistance.
In order to give impetus to this project it is necessary to involve the extension workers of the Dominica Banana Marketing Board and the Ministry of Agriculture who are most closely in contact with the farmers and whose recommendations are essential for the practices of land use. Training shall be given to these officials in order to integrate tree planting for conservation objectives into the existing extension structure. Trees used will be of economic value in the form of fruits, nuts, spices, timber, firewood or nitrogen fixation, so that farmers will respond positively to this project. Existing diversification projects shall be integrated by the Agroforestry Unit in the efforts of soil and environmental protection.
OBJECTIVES:
This project aims at introducing 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 unadequate soils. Specifically, activities in these areas shall
- increase availability of firewood- increase bay oil production
- control soil erosion
- increase soil fertility
- protect watersheds and springs
- diversify production for marketing and home consumption
- promote techniques of organic farming and reduce utilization of inputs by organic manure and legumes
- improve the marketing of non-banana products
- increase farmer's income
- 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 to other areas.
OUTPUTS:
- improvement of socioeconomic situation of farmers in target areas
- ecologically sound land use
- functioning Agroforestry Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture
- agroforestry extension service in 4 target regions
- development of improved agroforestry systems
- increase and diversification of production
- reduced use of agricultural inputs
- reduced soil erosion
- increased and rehabilitaded water supplies
ACTIVITIES:
- 4 demonstration plots (2 acres each)- 2 trial plots (1 acre each)
- continuous assistance to farmers in target areas
- supply of interested farmers with appropriate seedlings and seeds by 3 flying nurseries and cooperation with agricultural plant propagation units and forestry nursery
- training of agroforestry personnel
- support of marketing activities of the Carib Farmers Association
- production of videos and leaflets
- setup of Agroforestry Unit
LOCATION:
- Petite Savanne/Bagatelle
- Salisbury region
- Carib Territory
- Castle Bruce
BENEFICIARIES:
1000 farmers in target areas
INPUTS:
- personnel:# 1 Agroforestry Officer
# 2 Agroforestry Assistants
# 4 Field Assistants
# 1 Clerk- training of extension workers in agroforestry
- transport
- 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 7x5
# garden forks
# fencing wire
# garden spades
# seeds of Leucaena, Calliandra, Sesbania
IMPLEMENTING AGENCY:
Agroforestry Unit, Forestry and Wildlife Division, Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with Dominica Conservation Association, Agroforestry Project and Agriculture Extension Services
- 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 mahagony, 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 center between contour hedges
Demonstration plots will be installed on the land of interested farmers who will receive all benefits of these plots.
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 Communications Centre for video production
- CARDI for communication of research results
TRAINING
will 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 sepium
# sesbania grandiflora
# calliandra calothyrsus
# malphigia punicifolia in combination with vetiver grass on contour lines- spacing between plants: 1,5 foot
- spacing between hedge rows: 16 feet
- several rows of bananas without hedge rows as testimony
- utilization of legumes as mulch material for bananas
- survey of the 5 different variations, regarding# 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
