OVERVIEW

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Science and Agriculture
The School of Agriculture
Predecessor The Imperial college of Tropical Agriculture (1928) Publishes the international journal Tropical Agriculture Has provided a leadership role in Tropical Agriculture 82 years

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Science and Agriculture
Objective of the School Transformation of Agriculture from a plantation-based system to a modern Agricultural system towards:
1. Food and nutritional security of the Caribbean region. 2. Develop Sustainable livelihoods in Agriculture for the people of the Caribbean.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Science and Agriculture
Educational programmes BSc Agriculture BSc Agribusiness Management BSc Human Ecology (Nutritional Sciences etc) MSc Tropical Commodity Utilisation MSc Marketing and Agribusiness MSc Rural Development (distance) MSc Animal Science and Production M.Phils PhDs

UWI Mission assist in the transformation of Agriculture

Agriculture in the Caribbean should be
Strategic, forward thinking Knowledge-driven and Technology based

Farms should be restructured into

a modern, intensive, technology based sustainable outfits that are less menial, and more attractive to the young

Introduction
Research in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension addresses current issues in the agricultural sector of Caribbean countries with the objective of making a contribution towards the development and transformation of agriculture.

Areas of Teaching & Research

Agricultural Economics Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship Human Ecology (Home Economics, Nutrition and Dietetics) Agricultural Extension, Communication and Outreach
DAEE A Unique Blend of Skills

CariWatNet Project

Watershed
In Trinidad and Tobago watersheds are sub- divided into smaller catchments according to topography.

Watershed Areas In Trinidad

These areas are: Caroni, North Oropouche, Navet, Ortoire, South Oropouche Rivers and their associated wetland/ swamps.

In Trinidad two watersheds will be studied which are strongly influenced by deforestation and its indirect effects such as high uses of agrochemicals on agriculture sites which formerly were forestland. In the last decades as well strong reforestation efforts took place.

Watersheds
The Two Watershed are: Caroni River Nariva Swamp (lagoon)

Caroni and Nariva Rivers

The rivers supports life such as: Plankton, manatee, fish crab, conch waterfowl such as herons, gulls and egrets.

Caroni and Nariva Rivers

The rivers provide water for: game animals such as lappe, deer, agouti non game animals such as howler monkey, porcupine, ocelot and squirrel, small rodents, Bats, insects such as damseliflies and dragon flies.

Caroni and Nariva Rivers

There is large scale agriculture on the alluvial flood plains of Caroni and Nariva.

Major threats to the management of watershed ecosystems

Industrial, agricultural and domestic pollution, Soil erosion, Deforestation, Habitation on steep slopes, Annual bush and forest fires, Indiscriminate and unplanned construction.

Major threats to the management of watershed ecosystems

Flooding, poor drainage and maintenance, Pressure on land for housing and poor land practices, Reduced crop and land productivity, Poor systems of logging, Over abstraction from surface and groundwater sources.

Institutions involved in water management

Institution Water and Sewage Authoritypublic utilities Mandate

Mandated to manage, plan and regulate the multi sectoral use of water, development of sewage and water facilities.

Water resource agency- deals with hydrological data and concessions for water withdrawal.

Ministry of Works and Transport

Charged with the construction and maintenance of physical infrastructure, drainage and flood control and river basin planning exercises.

Institutions involved in water management

Institution Ministry of Planning and Development Mandate Mandated to regulate land use. The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) - environmental, land and water pollution monitoring. Management planning, land administration, land and water development and irrigation systems.

Ministry of Agriculture Land and Marine Resources (MALMR)

National Legislation
There is no Protective Area System per se except the Ramsar Convention ( protection of wetlands). There are instruments for protection of some of these watershed areas such as the Forest and Nature Reserve areas.

National Legislation
The following pieces of national legislation have relevance to the management of the Watershed in Trinidad and Tobago.

State Lands Act, Chapter 57:01

The State Land Act empowers the Commissioner of State Lands to manage all State Lands. The Act gives the Commissioner the authority to prevent squatting and encroachment upon State Lands and the spoil and injury to the woods and forest of such lands.

The Forests Act, Chapter 66:01

The Forest Act provides for the establishment of Forest Reserves and is primarily concerned with the removal of timber and other forest products from these Reserves.

The Forests Act, Chapter 66:01

The Forests Act makes provision for the declaration of prohibited areas, and makes it an offence to enter a prohibited area.

The Conservation of Wildlife Act, Chapter 67:01

Wildlife conservation in Trinidad and Tobago is attained primarily through the Conservation of Wildlife Act. Its basis lies in the regulation of game species using a permit system, gaming seasons and wildlife refuges.

The Conservation of Wildlife Act, Chapter 67:01

The Conservation of Wildlife Act :
provides for the establishment of Game Sanctuaries in which it is illegal to hunt. provides for the regulation of hunting. prohibits hunting during the closed season which runsfrom April 1 to September 30.

Environmental Management Act of 2000 (EM Act)

The Environmental Management Act sought to provide a more comprehensive framework for addressing the issue of biodiversity loss and protection, by the formulation of guidelines on the designation and protection of environmentally sensitive species and environmentally sensitive areas.

Environmental Management Act of 2000 (EM Act)

The primary goal of designating an area an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) under the Rules, 2001, is the protection and conservation of areas representative of the different ecosystems of the country and their species diversity.

Caroni River Basin

Introduction : Caroni River Basin The Caroni River Basin, the hydrometric area that encompasses the Caroni Swamp, is situated in the northwestern section of Trinidad.

Introduction : Caroni River Basin

The Basin is situated in the northwestern section of Trinidad between the Northern Range and Central Range. The Basin comprises an area of 883.4 km2 equivalent to 22% of the Trinidads land surface.

Biophysical properties
Generally, the topography of the Caroni Basin is flat to undulating, rising to 30 to 50 metres above sea level. .

Biophysical properties

The Caroni Basin, in particular the flood plains consists of alluvium and hydromorphic soils with low permeability, which inhibits infiltration. In Trinidad, major flooding occur in the Caroni Basin.

Caroni River
The Caroni River is the major river system within the Caroni Basin and has a catchment area of about 600km2.

The Caroni River is the largest river in Trinidad and Tobago.

Caroni River
The Caroni River runs for 40 km from its origins in the Northern Range on the island of Trinidad, through the northern lowlands of the Caroni Plains and enters the Gulf of Paria at the Caroni Swamp.

Caroni River
The Caroni River and its tributaries drain one of the most densely populated part of Trinidad, the "East-West Corridor. It provides most of its drinking water through the Caroni- Arena Dam.

Caroni River
Twelve rivers flow into the Caroni River on its northern side from the Northern Range, and six rivers flow in from the southern side from the Caroni Plain and the northern side of the Central Range (Phelps, 1997).

COUNTY CARONI NORTH

WARRENVILLE CHAGUANAS

LAS LOMAS CUNUPIA

LONGDENVILLE EDINBURGH/CARLSEN FIELD

Socio-economic factors
Table Number Of Private Holders By Gender As At July 2004.

Number of Private Holders

Gender Male Female

3564

3088

476

Socio-economic factors
Table Number Of Private Holders By Ethnic group As At July 2004. Number of Private Holders Ethnic group African Indian Mixed All other Not stated

3564

447

2700

393

23

Socio-economic factors
Table Number And Area Of Parcel and Type of Tenure As At July 2004.
Number of Parcels Total area (Ha) Type of Tenure Owned Rented Lease Squatted Family land Rent free Held otherwise

4831

22,902.1

17155.5 3419.9

924.2

956.1

333.8

112.6

Socio-economic factors
Table Number Of Holders and Type of Agricultural Activities As At July 2004. Number of Holders Type of agricultural activity Crop Livestock Mixed Other

3576

2395

518

655

Socio-economic factors
Table Inventory Of Poultry And Livestock On All Holdings As At July 2004.

Total Livestock Cattle 1,599,074 7601 Sheep 5059 Goat 2955

Type of livestock pig 9621 Rabbit 1120 Poultry 1,572651 Other Livestock 67

Socio-economic factors
Table Number Of Selected Tree Crops And Non Tree Crops Under Cultivation As At July 2004.
Total Crops Tree crops 2,701,694.9 2693471 Type of Crops

Non Tree crops 8223.9

Tree crops: cocoa, coffee, coconut, orange, banana, pineapple Non tree crops: sugarcane, rice, cabbage, lettuce, hot peppers, pumpkin, tomatoes, watermelon

Policy
The food and agriculture policy white paper (MALMR, 1995) described the policies and strategies for the agricultural sector. It promotes: development of infrastructure support , establishment of water management systems on farm irrigation infrastructure.

Water Management Projects

1950-1970s: Comprehensive Irrigation Systems for sugar cane and rice production. Flood damage mitigation and control systems - consisting of Sluice Gates.

Water Management Projects

A north /south embankment was created to allow for rice production in the low-lying swamp areas in Caroni. The area consisted mainly land south west of the Caroni and west of the Uriah Butler highway.

Water Management Projects

2000s :
Mc Nair Estate Project- Pond construction and wells. Depot Road- Ponds and raw water management. Carlen Field- Bore wells and electrical water pumps.

Issues/Concerns
Closure of Caroni Ltd resulted in irrigation system/drainage negligence. Sluice gate system is in disrepair.

Issues/Concerns
Change in land use due to : - population expansion - housing and -salt water intrusion.

Issues/Concerns
Flooding in the wet season ,(July to December) throughout the low lying area of the watershed catchment area. Drought conditions during the dry season ( January to June) with the lack of irrigation infrastructure and lowered poor water quality.

Nariva Swamp

Introduction: Nariva Swamp

The Nariva catchment occupies the eastern third of the Nariva hydrometric area. The drainage basin has a total area of 461 km2 and receives approximately 2000 mm to 2800 mm of rainfall per annum. It is drained by several rivers, which emanate from the Central Range and discharge through the Nariva Swamp into the Atlantic Ocean.

Introduction: Nariva Swamp contd

The major of these rivers the Navet, has a drainage area of 65 km2. These rivers flow from elevations in excess of 150 m in their upper catchments, along moderate to gentle slopes on the southern flank of the Central Range.

Video presentation on Nariva Swamp

The End. Thank you !!!