sion of the entire credit systems was attempted.
 The differential between countries is remarkable and reflects
some measure of differences in farming conditions and farmer at-
titudes encountered in the various countries. Two distinct at-
titudes towards the use of credit were discernible in project
farmers. There were those farmers whose approach to credit was
almost ultra-conservative. Their borrowing was mostly for the
purchase of inputs, and their repayments were prompt. The
farmers in St. Lucia, St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua belong to this
group. On the other hand, there were farmers who seemingly had
previously been exposed to unsuccessful and poorly organized
credit schemes. They adopted a 'cavalier' approach to borrowing,
sought as much money as possible for the payment of labour, and
were extremely sluggish in repayment. These farmers were mostly
found in Montserrat.
 In the course of its first phase, the project area experienced a
number of natural calamities and disasters which affected the
CARDATS farmers and their ability to service their loans. These
were particularly severe in Dominica, St. Vincent, St. Lucia and,
to a lesser extent, Montserrat, where hurricanes, frequent
floodings, and in the case of St. Vincent, volcanic eruptions,
destroyed crops and farming material, resulting in substantial
financial losses.
 Despite these difficulties, the use of credit in the first and se-
cond phase of the CARDATS project contributed in no small way
to the rejuvenation of foodcrop farming in some countries and
the modest introduction of new vegetable production in others.
The expectation and confidence which accessibility to credit
engendered was responsible for a new wave of interest in, and en-
thusiasm for, farming.
 Some notice should be taken of the fact that CARDATS was
able to ensure access to funds from national credit institutions for
many of its farmers. Most of these farmers did not normally
qualify for finance since they lacked the necessary collateral.
Loans were finally granted on the assurance of the project
management that they would be comprehensively supervised. It
is clear that the future development of small farmers in the sub-
region will depend, in large measure, on the more extensive use
of supervised credit.

Marketing and Farm Planning
 Reliable information regarding the marketability of his/her
product is an essential element in the forward planning done by
successful commercial farmers. For the food crop farmer in the
OECS member countries, this element is frequently missing.
 In assisting project farmers with their farm planning and crop
scheduling CARDATS naturally focused on all the relative
technical and economic factors involved in production, but it was
evident that the primary concern for most of the farmers
throughout the area was with the potential saleability of their
produce and the prices they were likely to receive.
 The dependence of Caribbean agriculture on export markets is
well known. It is also axiomatic that the bulk of any significant
increase in food production in the OECS member states must be
exported. Whatever may be the ultimate results from programs
aimed at including greater consumption of locally produced
food, it is clear that in the foreseeable future much of any
substantial output in these islands will have to be sold on regional
or extra-regional export markets.
 CARDATS in its first phase was concerned primarily with
assisting participating countries in upgrading their "perishable
produce" marketing capabilities. Assistance was given in develop-
ing marketing structures and strategies for national marketing
boards and in identifying (mostly regional) marketing outlets for
the said type of goods produced. In Phase II, the project's plan-
ning and marketing activities are broadened to include pilot pro-
grams which are geared towards import replacement to meet na-


tional markets and to demonstrate post-harvest handling and
marketing/distribution of small farmers' produce. CARDATS

also is assisting in the development of marketing intelligence
systems linking project area countries with the major regional and
extra-regional markets interested in buying their produce.

Production
 In its bid to demonstrate the profitability of small farming,
CARDATS encouraged the cultivation of mixed vegetables
wherever conditions were suitable. These products attract high
prices in the region, provided they can be marketed in places of
high demand. Many of the project's vegetable growers are farm-
ing successfully and it is evident that this kind of production can
be profitably expanded to fill regional markets.
 It is also equally clear that not all small farmers successfully
grow vegetables; the farming conditions simply are not always
suitable. On hillsides and under dry, rainfed conditions the crops
grown were mainly aroids and other roots, plantains, pigeon peas
and corn. In its related programs CARDATS sought to upgrade
yields, advising on improved varieties, better fertilizer practices,
and more effective cultural and post-harvest handling tech-
niques. CARDATS also assisted in supplying inputs when these
were needed. The demand for these provisions has been growing
and it is believed that CARDATS, by assisting in the develop-
ment of reasonable access to new markets as well as in the creation
of a more business-like approach to this kind of extensive crop-
ping, could contribute significantly to increased food production
in the sub-region.
 CARDATS has also been concerned with the need for greater
crop diversification in all of the participating countries. Already,
greater attention is being given to the cultivation by small farmers
of some of the more specialised cash crops like peanuts and
pineapples, and also to the establishment of fruit trees on sloping
farm land, mainly as protective measure against soil erosion but
also to contribute towards satisfying the growing demand for
tropical fruits.
 Livestock rearing by small farmers in the CARDATS project
area is often a random undertaking. The farmers who own them
keep the animals for security and to achieve other definite goals,
but the methods of rearing livestock is casual. In the sub-region,
the farmers' animal rearing activities appear as separate and
distinct from those concerned with crop production. Most of the
project farmers own livestock. Cattle are the preferred species,
but sheep and goats are commonly found in all target areas. Fre-
quently, the animals are maintained some distance from the far-
ming area on non-occupied or abandoned farm land, and receive
minimal care and attention. However, the poor husbandry can be
improved and integrated into profitable and progressive farming
systems.
 CARDATS efforts in the field of livestock improvement to date
have not been very effective. The development of mixed farming
systems involving the sensible integration of crop and animal
husbandry production activities was conceived as a means of max-
imising the use of the farmer's total resources and enhancing his
overall performances.

Farm Equipment and Machinery Services
 Next to satisfactory marketing arrangements, access to tractor
services, especially for land preparation, is regarded by many
small farmers as an essential requirement for successful produc-
tion. In most countries however, these services are either inade-
quate or non-existent. Quite apart from the severe and chronic
shortage of farm machinery, is the almost total inadequacy of the
skills and local supplies of spare parts needed to maintain even
such equipment that may already be available.
 The unavailability of satisfactory facilities for servicing farm
machinery in many of the countries is, at least partially, a func-


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