Integrated Soil and Water Managementfor
Sustainable Agriculturein
Trinidad and Tobago
RAMGOPAUL ROOP
Theme1: Water availability and access
23 Nov. CTA Annual Seminar 2010
Johannesburg, South Africa
Agriculture in Trinidad and TobagoOverview
• Key crops– Cocoa, Fruit Crops,
Vegetables, Root crops– Closure of sugar industry
• 0.5% GDP (2009)• 100,000 employed• GOTT Agro Policy(2010)
– Revitalise Agriculture sector– Reduce food import– Agriculture incentives
Water Management Policy in Trinidad and Tobago 2000-2010
• Key Components– Implementation of Integrated Water Resource
Management (IWRM)– Protection of Environmental Quality and
Ecology.– Water Management Framework for Agriculture
• Drainage, Irrigation, Livestock, Agro-Processing.– Development of Institutional Capacity
including Human Resources
Irrigation Technology and Management
• Potential Irrigated Acreage - 102,000 ha.• Actual Irrigated Acreage – 7100ha(7%)• GOTT Plans – 30,000ha (2010 – 2020)• Key Constraints
– Water Development and Storage– Competition for water– Low level of Irrigation Technology– Small Farm Size (90% of farms <5ha.)– Sloping lands and difficult soils
Soil and Water Constraints
Difficult soils
Salinity
Innovative Soil and Water Management Model.
• ROOP Project 1994-2010• Integrated Soil and Water Programme
– Soil amelioration– Micro-irrigation including fertigation– IPM– Sustainable Fruit and Vegetable Production– Demonstration farm
• Farmers • Agriculture students.
GOOGLE MAP OF FARM
Integrated farming system
FARM LAYOUT
AN INNOVATIVE MODEL FARM
ConclusionAction Plan for S&W Management
• Infrastructure Development – Drainage and Irrigation
• Expansion of small farm sector – 7000 new small farms
• Utilisation of 40,000 ha former sugarcane lands
• Research and Development– Irrigation efficiency, on-farm irrigation,
• Flood Control
• Water Quality Integrity