The USVI agriculture census of 2018 (NASS,2018) showed that there were 500 farms, agricultural acreage and total sales had doubled over the previous decade, but the sales/acre had significantly decreased. The cause of the decrease could reflect the continuing drought and decreased productivity.
Farming in the USVI is challenging because of the mountainous topography, stony soil, periods of inadequate and overabundant water, ongoing drought, and the small size of farms. These conditions are powerful barriers to improving crop productivity which can also be severely limited by soil degradation. 33% of the world's soil is degraded, and in the tropics this is most likely higher. (Mbagwu,2004) Primarily this is due to erosion by water. (SWSR,2015). Many areas of the Caribbean are defined as having highly erodible soil. This is based on several factors, one of which is the effect of rainfall on the amount of erosion and this has been calculated as the erosivity index. (Panagos,2017) The erosivity index in the Caribbean is 4 times higher than the global average.
The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable to climate change and extreme events. These events which include drought, flooding, and hurricanes severely impact farming. In 2017 the USVI sustained severe damage from two category 5 hurricanes, and currently they are experiencing a drought of severe to extreme magnitude. Prior to the 1980s moderate drought occurred every 13-14 years. But in the past 2 decades it has occurred every 3-4 years with the current drought leading to a decreased water table. (Drought,2018) Agriculture is devastated by drought as it leads to decreased crop yields and crop and livestock loss. Implementing the use of the Vetiver System can help reduce the impacts of drought as it improves the retention of water and decreases water runoff.
Vetiver System is the use of vetiver grass for erosion control, water conservation, slope stabilization, and increased soil carbon sequestration. It is used in over 100 countries and has been proven to improve agricultural sustainability and quality of life. It can adapt to a wide variety of soil types and tolerates both drought and standing water. Vetiver is noninvasive, and the roots form an interlocking matrix that extends up to 9 feet below the surface. It is this characteristic that allows it to be planted in hedgerows along a contour to form a bioterrace, reduce erosion, increase water infiltration, retain nitrogen and phosphorous, and stabilize the soil. (Vetiver,n.d.)
This project will provide in person learning for 100 farmers and interested staff over a two-year period through conferences to allow them to gain knowledge about the use of Vetiver Grass. A smaller cohort will also have an opportunity to use it on their farms to reduce erosion, improve water conservation, and develop a more sustainable agriculture business. By offering teaching, demonstration farms, mentoring, and hands-on experiences this project intends to teach, train, and guide farmers in the use, propagation, and maintenance of Vetiver Grass and to demonstrate how this use can decrease external inputs and increase their productivity.
Project Objectives:
Hedgerows of Vetiver at the Nursery
Partner with DOA, UVI Extension, and USDA/NRCS to establish process for outreach and follow-up communication. Contact farmers and schedule 10 presentations on the use of vetiver in St Thomas and St Croix.
Establish with DOA a vetiver nursery this will be used for experiential teaching and as a source of plant material for the farmers and DOA. Results: A nursery worker was hired and he manages the plot. The Vetiver Nursery was established with the initial 400 plants and the nursery worker keeps the area weed free, trims back the brushy growth, trims the plants and expands the nursery. The nursery now has approximately 700 plants that are capable of providing 50 slips each. He has also begun to plant a system that will provide an "instant" hedgerow for use on steep hillsides. The first 3o feet was planted and was very successful and another 100 feet has been started. This system was problematic since the plants were initially pulled up by the neighboring ducks so this area was fenced off for protection. Also an area of potted plants will be started. Although there was a source of water significant plumbing repairs had to be done to allow for its use.
Write the curriculum to be presented and the goals for the hands-on experience. Results: The curriculum for the presentation has been completed. The curriculum for the workshops is complete but has to be adapted to the participants needs and knowledge level. But they are taught the use of the tools needed to manage a hedgerow, How to trim and maintain the hedgerow, how to plants the slips, and how to propagate for new plants.
Recruit 6 farmers from the 3 islands to commit to the use of the Vetiver System. Schedule sessions at the nursery for training. The farmer will be provided with planting material to begin planting hedgerows.
Schedule farm visits to view and case manage any problems. Add 6 additional farmers for training and plantings. 4 farms have been visited and this will increase in the second year.
Cooperators
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The initial approach is lecture based through the presentations, although the information that is emphasized at each presentation is adapted to the participants needs and interests.
Following this the approach becomes Participant-Centered. It includes a collaborative approach with mentoring and teamwork, experiential learning, and project based learning. The farmer collaborators are active in their communities and work with individuals for mentoring and providing a team to assist with questions and problems.
The workshop is experiential. The participants work with established hedgerows to learn the required maintenance, propagation and planting methods. They are trained on safety with the use of the tools that are needed for these activities and they harvest and clean vetiver bunches to obtain their own slips for planting. A number of participants have specific problems and they have had a consult to help them plan and implement their project .
Educational & Outreach Activities
5 Consultations
1 Curricula, factsheets or educational tools
5 On-farm demonstrations
7 Online trainings
7 Webinars / talks / presentations
5 Workshop field days
Participation Summary:
41 Farmers participated
16 Ag professionals participated
Education/outreach description:
The outreach efforts for this project will be directed to the farmers of the Virgin Islands seeking to learn about the benefits and the use of vetiver and will be conducted territory wide by partners long with farming associations and local entities working in areas of conservation and natural resources. There are two goals. The first goal is to increase interest by the farmers in the Vetiver System and for them to be willing to consider the use of vetiver grass on their farm. A second goal will be for a smaller group of farmers to be innovators, begin using the grass, show that they are able to propagate and maintain the plantings, and to make use of the system.
The Department of Agriculture, UVI Extension Services, We Grow Food, Inc, Island Green Living, and the two farmer collaborators have provided support and outreach to the farmers, gardeners, and landscapers on the three main islands. Each group has been responsible for contacting those farmers that they have an established relationship with. In addition outreach has occurred through radio talk shows. The farmer collaborator on St Thomas received 70 plants, a consultation, and developed a demonstration site at the farmers market to help farmers and gardeners see the benefits of the grass for improved crop production along with controlling erosion and water runoff. She continues to mentor farmers on St Thomas and St Croix on the use of the grass for conservation practices.
In the first year 7 presentations occurred, 3 on St Croix, 3 on St Thomas, and 1 on St John. These were all hybrid with the option to attend by zoom. There were 75 participants with 29 farmers and 12 gardeners who attended. The remainder were homeowners, landscapers and agricultural professionals who were interested in knowing how the grass could be used. 5 workshops were held and 20 people attended. Scheduling was at times difficult for those people who were interested in learning more about the grass and how to manage it. The attendees received 680 slips to be planted. 7 farmers received plants on St Thomas and 3 on St Croix. The remainder were homeowners with significant erosion and water runoff problems. 4 sites have had site visits. Further outreach will be scheduled in the coming months.
The curriculum was developed using information that is available through Vetiver International Network and current research. A one-page brochures has been written and printed. This brochure provides information about vetiver grass, the ways that it can be used, and resources for more information. It is available at the initial conferences, the agricultural fairs, and the farmers market. An adequate number has been printed and they may be used by the Department of Agriculture or by the UVI extension.
The hands-on training or workshops provided training in the maintenance, propagation, and planting of the grass.
A presentation is scheduled for April in Puerto Rico at the CWP Conference and a journal article has been started.
Year 1
50 farmers 5 Conferences 7 conferences -75 participants with 29 farmers and 12 gardeners who attended
6 farmers 1 Workshop 4 workshops on St Thomas 6 farmers, 10 gardeners and homeowners.
1 Workshop 1 workshop on St Croix.
4 days 1st year Follow-up visits
Year 2
50 farmers 5 Conferences Farmers and Staff introduced to the Vetiver System
8 farmers 3 Workshop Farmers to attend hands-on training on St Thomas and St Croix
3 Workshop 6 Farms provided with Vetiver for planting
10 days Follow-up visits
Learning Outcomes
41 Farmers reported changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and/or awareness as a result of their participation
Key changes:
Knowledge about the potential uses. The participants all stated that they had a better understanding about how the grass could be used to improve and protect their farm and how it could provide an overall benefit to the territory.
Skills on the ways to maintain the hedgerows. The workshop participants all felt confident that they would be able to maintain their plantings of the slips.
Skills on how to propagate. The participants stated that they were confident about propagating the plants so that they could expand the use.
Project Outcomes
15 Farmers changed or adopted a practice
1 Grant received that built upon this project
7 New working collaborations
Project outcomes:
At this time it has only produced an affect on agricultural sustainability for several farmer/gardeners who have been very active in propagating and obtaining additional plants. They have been able to plant a sufficient length of hedgerow to be able to stop both erosion and water run-off . For one the hedgerow was intercropped with herbs and low growing plants and these have all thrived in an area that previously was unable to grow these. The second farmer/gardener has not started to intercrop yet but the hedgerows have arrested the erosion and stabilized a steep slope. The remainder have not propagated the grass as aggressively therefore they have not yet seen a significant change to their situation. With the increased outreach that will occur in the coming year more improvement should be seen. The grass has the capability of providing significant economic and environmental benefits but it requires that large amounts are planted. The nursery currently is able to provide about 35,000 slips so larger projects are now possible.
Recommendations:
Even though the participants left the workshop stating that they felt confident about where and how to plant their slips a number had difficulty in completing their project. In the future we will be providing more consultation along with the workshop to ensure that the slips are planted and propagation is started.
A new grant is currently being written that will provide large numbers of slips in a more limited area and this will hopefully provide more sustainability to those farmers who participate.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.
