Introduction of Clean Dioscorea Alata Planting Material

 into Small Farm Systems of Dominica

 G. Robin B. Clarke H. Adams
 CARDI, Botanic Gardens
 Roseau, Dominica
 S. Bellon M. Genthon
 FTC, Botanic Gardens
 Roseau, Dominica


 Resulting from baseline surveys of small farm systems in
Dominica, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Develop-
ment Institute (CARDI) and the French Technical Coopera-
tion (FTC) recognized the unavailability of clean yam planting
material as a major production constraint.
 Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA),
Guadeloupe and CARDI, Barbardos have developed anthrac-
nose resistant (Bilep and SEA 189) and virus tested (White


Lisbon) Dioscorea alata cultivars respectively during the last
decade. In 1981 to 1982 samples of the above material were
introduced into Dominica in order to alleviate the problem of
lack of clean planting material.
 This paper describes the farming systems' methodologies
utilized by CARDI and FTC to introduce this clean yam plant-
ing material into the small farm systems of Dominica. Results
to date are discussed herein.


 The paper describes the collaborative efforts of the Ministry
of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and Cooperatives (MOA), the
Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute
(CARDI) and the French Technical Cooperation (FTC) to
alleviate the problem of unavailability of clean yam planting
material in the small farm systems of Dominica. CARDI is a
regional organization, which serves twelve member states of the
Caribbean Community by providing research and development
needs of the agricultural sector as identified in national plans and
policies. FTC is a unit of the Ambassade de France Cooperation
Technique, funded by the Delegation General a la Recherche
Scientifique et Technique.
 These organizations have chosen a farming systems approach to
address the principal agronomic and organizational constraints to
increased production in Dominica. Available evidence suggests it
to be the most cost effective means of technology generation and
diffusion in the complex milieu of the Dominican small farmer.
The FTC has directed attention in its "Agrarian Systems in the
Caribbean with Alternatives for Development Project" to defin-
ing the on-farm decision-making processes and rationalization of
farmers' practices in a given location with a view to utilizing the
framework for planning information flow to farmers. This would
be achieved by farming systems research and an extension
methodology based on an intimate knowledge of the farming
systems gained whilst living in a rural community. CARDI, in-
itially through the "Small Farm Multiple Cropping Systems
Research Project," and currently through the "Farming Systems
Research and Development Project," both.funded by USAID,
has moved away from traditional commodity and discipline-
oriented agricultural research which proved time-consuming and
elusive in producing transferable results. Efforts represent a
comprehensive agricultural strategy encompassing marketing, ex-
tension, production, input distribution and policy dialogue to
address the principal constraints.
 The above organizations, through various surveys and farm
characterizations, have identified the shortage of adequate quan-
tities of clean, certified planting material of good quality as a
principal constraint to agricultural production of root crops, tuber
crops, legumes and fruit crops. Initially, attention was directed to


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yam, Dioscorea spp., since CARDI's Barbados unit had
developed virus-tested White Lisbon yam, D. alata, and anthrac-
nose tolerant cultivars were available from INRA, Guadeloupe.
The objective was to introduce certified, healthy planting
material to the small farm systems of Dominica and to provide an
appropriate technological package consistent with the farming
system. The alternative to this approach would have been to
upgrade the quality of local planting material. However, this was
not regarded as a viable alternative at that stage because of its
long term nature.
 This activity commenced in 1981 and is still in progress. Results
to date are presented and discussed herein.

Overview of Small Farm Systems in Dominica
 The terrain of Dominica is rugged and mountainous, and the
inaccessible central forested mountain ranges make about 60% of
the island unsuitable for agriculture. The remaining 40%, with
better edaphic and topographic characteristics, is occupied by a
small number of large plantations. Most small farms are located
on the fringes of these plantations going inland on steep moun-
tain slopes. Recently there has been a trend towards fragmenta-
tion of some of the larger plantations, making such land available
to small farmers.
 A common feature of the small farms is the very complex,
mixed farming systems. A number of crops and livestock species
are simultaneously kept on the same parcels of land.
 The tropical climate (mean temperature of 28C, 15 N.
Latitude and 61 W. Longitude), heavy rainfall (1250mm to
8750mm average), volcanic soils, and various agro-socio-economic
factors have led to the following major constraints to small farm
systems:
 1. limited and disorganized markets,
 2. limited accessibility of farms,
 3. expensive farm labour and an extremely low level of
 mechanisation,
 4. unavailability of agricultural inputs (feeds, seeds,
 livestock, tools, fertilizers, agri-chemicals, containers and
 drugs),
 5. endo- and ecto-parasites in livestock,

 PROCEEDINGS of the CARIBBEAN FOOD CROPS SOCIETY-VOL. XX