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