The project serves to address several macro social and economic conditions in Dominica which negatively impact the standard of living of women in general and women farmers and agricultural workers in particular. The Population and Housing Census of 2001 suggested that more than half of Dominica?s employed women earn an income in the agricultural sector. Therefore requiring that women?s empowerment should take into consideration what the continued decline in agricultural production experienced by the country means for women?s ability to earn a living. Additionally, the picture painted by the census of 2001 portrayed a dismal employment situation for female workers where 10.7% of all women and 66.7 % of women between the ages 15-24 were unemployed.

The continued use of chemical fertilizers by small farmers has contributed to the decline in fertility of the soils, contamination of streams and waterways and destruction of the natural soil biodiversity. Over the last three decades, farmers have moved away from traditional approaches that encouraged sustainable methods to the use of new technologies that encouraged the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and new varieties. The prolonged use of these products have affected productive areas especially regarding soil structure and texture, useful organisms in the soil, aquatic life, and in general the aspect of agricultural health and food safety.

If alternatives are not introduced to arrest this growing problem, farmers will continue to encroach on virgin forest lands in search of fertile lands to cultivate. This is particularly of concern in the major agricultural zones as hillside cultivation is dominant. Land degradation has been evident in a number of locations as a result of farming practices that are not sustainable and environmentally friendly.

End Results:

This proposal seeks to link subsectors to increase sustainable approaches to agriculture and at the same time to contribute to the food security as well as rural employment.

There are three components to the project. Firstly a livestock rearing component which provide the protein supply to the diet of persons in the rural territories and at the same time supply the main ingredients of the composting component of the project. The project promotes the use of compost derived from the livestock units to grow onions and other vegetables. The final component involves the growing of vegetables.

Whilst the projects stimulates sustainable and eco-friendly agribusiness development, it provides for capacity building opportunities for the women in the north-east catchment in the area of group dynamics and team building; management and entrepreneurship; and sustainable agriculture.








2.0 PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED RESULTS
Objective 1: Empowerment of rural women to be gainfully engaged in agricultural activities
Considering environmentally friendly best practices training, retraining and capacity building activities to engage rural women involved in agriculture strategies and programmes that address and revert the debilitating impact of the negligible banana production on the socio-economic development of Dominica in general and women farmers and workers ability to earn and sustain a living which positions them above the poverty line.

Since the decline of the banana industry, farmers have diversified into other agricultural commodities and rural women have gotten involved in cottage activities surrounding agriculture. Additionally, women play a greater role in production of non-banana crops and livestock. As such the women in the North and North Eastern regions established the Agricultural Women Movement (AWM) to stimulate and encourage women?s engagement in agriculture as a means to alleviating poverty and provide sustained sources of income for rural women. There is need for those involved in agriculture to adapt best practices and be mindful in enacting environmentally sustainable initiatives.

Objective 2: Establishment of eco-friendly and sustainable approaches to food production through sub-sectorial linkages
The proposed project is an expansion of the ongoing onion project that will create greater linkages and sustainability of efforts beyond the project life. The project seeks to establish demonstration units for production of small ruminants as an alternative in the diversification effort. The waste from these units will serve as a source of pen-manure to support onion production and diversification to include production of other selected fruit and vegetable. This is a means to climate change adaptation will address food security concerns. Production of other vegetables and be an income earner from April to September which are months outside of the production season for onions. Emphasis on rain water harvesting and introduction to various crops which are more resistant to the climate change impacts.

Objective 3: Contribute to food security and balance of trade deficit:
Overall the food import bill has skyrocketed to over 600 Million dollars as compared to export earnings well under 100 Million. Meat import into Dominica exceeds 14 Million dollars per annum. Dominica once was able to meet a large percentage of is protein content, now it depends heavily on import of protein products. Therefore the project seeks to increase the production of livestock products to reduce on the importation of meat products and thus reducing on the reliance of importation of commodities to support the food security initiatives.