Small Farming Systems in Las Cuevas Watershed, Dominican Republic J. Alvarez Food and Resource Econ. Dept. University of Florida, B. Glade, FL P.E. Hidebrand Food and Resource Econ. Dept. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL J.A. Nova State Secretariat of Agriculture Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Farming systems in the watershed are described. Data were gathered by a multi-disciplinary team during the summer of 1982. Sample size was 182. Farming systems identified were (1) irrigated with a rice base, (2) rainfed with an annual crop base and minor permanent crops, and (3) predominantly cof- fee farms which were not studied in detail. Irrigated farming systems consisted of sole crops of beans, peanuts and maize in addition to rice. Rainfed systems consisted of both sole crops and crop mixtures of beans, maize and pigeon peas. Predomi- nant crop mixtures are beans-maize, beans-pigeon peas, and beans-pigeon peas-maize. Peanuts are predominantly sole cropped. Unique to these systems are: (1) the "convite" system-a social form of labor sharing for harvest; (2) bean trading between rainfed and irrigated systems to maintain fresh seed; (3) peanuts to provide cash; available as a loan from the processing plant. Rainfed systems and increasing population pressures subject the watershed to high rates of soil erosion and resulting siltation downstream. Keywords: farming systems; crop systems; crop associations; "convite.". Most islands in the Caribbean are experiencing ecological prob- lems of uncommon magnitude. Small territories and population pressures are pushing farmers to marginally productive steep- lands. The Dominican Republic is no exception. Antonini et al. (1981) have summarized the problem in the following manner: The Dominican Republic today is faced with serious prob- lems of erosion due to the widespread practice of slash- and-bum agriculture and the prevalence ofshallow soils on steep slopes. Substantial amounts of top soil are lost due to poor management practices and there results greatly reducedsoil fertility and crop productivity ... As a conse- quence of increasing population pressure and a depleting resource base, the farm-pasture-fallow cycle is rapidly be- ing shortened, the land's capability for sustained produc- tivity is diminishing, andincreasingly more marginal lands are being brought under cultivation and extensive use. The results of this deterioration of the Dominican steeplands is affecting not only farmers within the high watersheds, but it is also influencing the government's ability to develop and maintain water resources for meeting energy, agricultural and human needs (p.4). Solving these problems is no easy task. But it seems obvious that knowing the resources and farming practices prevalent in these areas provides a good starting point for developing conser- vation policies. For that reason, this paper describes the farming systems in Las Cuevas watershed of the Dominican Republic. The results reported are part of a multi-disciplinary research ef- fort sponsored by the State Secretariat of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic, the Association of Caribbean Universities and Research Institutes, and the University of Florida. The final objective of this inter-institutional agreement was to develop an integrated management and protection plan for Las Cuevas watershed. VOL. XX-PROCEEDINGS of the CARIBBEAN FOOD CROPS SOCIETY The Study Region Las Cuevas watershed is located on the southwestern flank of the Cordillera Central and covers approximately 600 km2. An- tonini et al. (1981, pp. 16-19) have described some of the region's most important characteristics. More than 80% of the watershed is mountainous with elevations ranging between 2,200 and 2,800 m. Plateaus and interior lowlands account for about 13%, while the rest of the area con- sists of flood plains and river terraces. Dry subtropical conditions prevail in the westernmost portion where the average temperature is 24.5"C and the mean annual rainfall is about 750 mm. These conditions exist in 12% of the total area. A wet subtropical life zone covers 15% of the basin, with more humid conditions but still irregular rainfall distribu- tion. Some 52% of the area is characterized by low montane wet forest, with irregular rainfall and periodic frosts. The very wet low forest accounts for 18% of the area, where mean annual precipitation is 55% higher than evapotranspiration. Finally, 3% of the watershed is very wet montane forest in the eastern por- tion, with average temperatures of 17.7"C and mean annual precipitation of 1,750 mm. Frosts are more frequent and average rainfall exceeds evapotranspiration by 60%. The population of the watershed is 85 % rural and 15 % urban. Population estimates for 1981 were 39,411 inhabitants, with an average density of 65 persons per km2. The population is ex- pected to double by the year 2,000. About 7,000 families live in the study region. More than half live in small rural settlements (100 to 2,500 persons) in the hills or along the terraces and flood plains adjoining the Las Cuevas river and its tributaries. The greatest number of families live in isolated hamlets and small agricultural villages. One road con- nects these villages with Padre Las Casas, the only urban center in the area, and most interconnecting dirt trails become impassable during the rainy season. 51