Diversified Integrated Farm Model

Abstract

There is a worldwide issue in emerging economies with food security and increasing dependence on imported food from more developed countries. St. Kitts-Nevis and numerous Caribbean countries face similar circumstances. St. Kitts-Nevis is positioned to change this trend in its national economy and contribute to export with its Caribbean partners and perhaps further afield. Climate change, particularly pervasive drought conditions, present serious challenges but also opportunities to mitigate and adapt such adversities and accrue benefits to local farmers and related entrepreneurs if a model integrated farm is established with key contributing factors in its design such as productivity, flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability. An integrated farming system would compensate for low economies of scale in a value chain model, and linkages would sustain long-term stability and growth at the enterprise, sectoral, and inter-sectoral levels.