1 Case Studies Perception Analysis of Environmental Externalities of Coffee Farming System in Rio Limpio and Irrigated Farming System

in San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic

1. Introduction This paper presents the perception analysis of environmental externalities of agriculture in two different farming systems in the Dominican Republic: The organic and conventional coffee farming system in Rio Limpio and rice and beans irrigated farming system in San Juan de la Maguana, in the Dominican Republic. The coffee production farming system the rice and beans production system have been chosen due to the following reasons: Coffee is directly linked to the external market and has been a traditional source of foreign exchange since the last two centuries, while rice and beans are directly linked to national food security since they are the two main components of the Dominican diet. The study has as objectives to determine environmental externalities that generates the coffee production in Rio Limpio under the organic and conventional farming; the impact of the public investment made in San Juan de la Maguana in developing irrigated rice and bean production on the forest recovery in the upper watershed; and how the community population from both sites perceive the environmental externalities generated by the farming systems under analysis. The methodology used to determine the farmers perception of the environmental externalities from the farming systems, and the change of the land use cover from 1984 to 1998 are defined in this paper, as well as some conclusions driven from the results are also considered. For a more comprehensive reading, the paper is organized in two sections. First, it will focus on the organic and conventional coffee farming system in Rio Limpio; and second the irrigate and non irrigated farming system in San Juan de la Maguana. 2. Objectives To determine the environmental externalities perception of the organic and conventional coffee production farming system in Rio Limpio, mainly on biodiversity, water quality soil quality and landscape or scenic beauty. To determine the environmental externalities perception of the irrigated and non irrigated rice and beans farming system in San Juan de la Maguana, on biodiversity, water quality soil quality and landscape, but mainly on the reduction of slash and burn migratory agriculture in the mountain and forest recovery.

3. Methodology The methodology used consisted in the application of a stratified home site survey on both communities Rio Limpio and Juan de Herrera in San Juan de la Maguana. For the Rio Limpio site universe was considered on 556 producers. A standard error of 5% was considered for the sample selection. The sample size resulting was 230 homes. This sample was stratified in two strata, organic coffee and conventional coffee. See Table 1 and 2 of the Annex. For the site of Juan de Herrera in San Juan de la Maguana, the same interval of confidence and the standard error were used too and the survey size was 355 homes selected at random. Table 3 of the Annex shows the distribution by community in San Juan de la Maguana. The sample survey selection was done at random. The selected homes were interviewed during the months March and April of 2003. The questionnaire of the surveys contains information on crops production system, technology transfer, soil and water conservation, reforestation, agricultural production and perception on landscape, environmental quality and biodiversity among others. The surveys were carried out by technicians of the Dominican Institute of Agriculture and Forest Research (IDIAF). The data were digitised and analysed by using the statistical program SPSS. Soil analysis was carried out with the objective of comparing the physical and chemical variables between organic and conventional production system in Rio Limpio. For this purpose four soil samples from each production systems and 6 sub-samples were taken and sent to the laboratory. On the other hand, water analysis were done, for which a water sample was taken from a micro watershed with organic production only in order to compare with other water sample from a micro watershed with conventional coffee production system and with high technology level. The variable measured were oxygen, bacteria coliformes water quality for human consumption. The Arc view for GIS was used to analyse the land use cover changes that took place from 1984 to 1998, by using black and white photo at 1:40 scale for 1984 and satellite images for 1996 and 1998. It is recognised that there are some technological and human error in the comparison of these two sources, but even though it will give an idea of the land use change during this period. 4. Sites study location The territory of the Dominican Republic (DR) has an extension of 48,670.8 km2, equivalent approximately at 2/3 of the surface of the Hispaniola Island that shares with the Republic of Haiti. The DR is located among the latitudes north 17 33` and 19 56` and the longitudes west of 68 25` and 71 40`. The costs of the DR including the perimeter of the adjacent islands (100 Km) have an extension of 1575 Km, of which 824 Km corresponds to the coast with the Atlantic Ocean and 751 Km to the line of coast of the Caribbean Sea.

The biological productive potentiality of the territory is based on the studies of inventories of the productive capacity of the earth, carried out by the Organization of the American States (OAS) in 1967. Ro Limpio and San Juan de la Maguana Valley are among the poorest regions in the country, but are among the ecologically richest sites of the country. Ro Limpio is a small community located in the Elas Pia Province, located between the coordinated 71o.53 ` W and 19o 25` N in the Southwest side of the country. It is near to two national parks and to the border with Haiti. It is in the way of tourists visiting the Nalga de Maco National Park and the Armando Bermudez National Park. Due to its location within the Rio Artibonito watershed, which is shared with Haiti, give to this place a great importance in term of the preservation of the ecosystem, for the conservation of the soil and water resource and the biodiversity, in benefit to both countries. San Juan de la Maguana Valley is located between the coordinates 71o 24` W and 18o 60` N in the south west of the country The SJM valley is characterized by its capacity of grain production, rice, beans and pigeon. For the purpose of the study, the community of Juan de Herrera was selected, because it presents permanently and different agricultural production systems, such as irrigated agriculture of rice and beans and non irrigated agriculture, including agro forestry system and the use of soil and water conservation practices. This site is relatively near important eco-tourist circuits like Enriquillo Lake National Park, Jaragua National Park and Sierra de Bahoruco National Park; those parks constitute hot spot of biodiversity, since they host endangered species (birds, reptiles, among others). 5. Description of the Organic and conventional coffee farming system in Rio Limpio The RL coffee production zone is characterized by small farm that initiated the organic production at the beginning of the years 80. According to the Dominican Coffee Council (CODOCAFE)1 there are around 1833 hectares of coffee and 556 producers and only 180 farms have been certified as organic production. The production of coffee is characterized by low productivity, use of conventional technology, low use of external inputs and high use of family labor. Non family labor only applies for harvesting, where farmers are used to hire Dominican or Haitian workers. Coffee (coffea arabica caturra and coffea arabica) are the two varieties used by farmers, the plantation is over 20 years old. In Rio Limpio the characteristic of the land tenure is very well defined because the producers are located in an agrarian reform project and the farmers have a well defined property right. The coffee plantations take place in systems with great diversity of shadow species, such as guama (Inga vera), pine (Pinus occidentalis), avocado (Persea americana) and cabirma (Guarea guidonia). Inga vera is used by 56.1 % and 48.1% of the organic and

4 conventional coffee producers in their farms. A 74% of the farmers interviewed in the RL survey, cultivate coffee as main crop and 30% of them organics practices in their farms. Coffee is the main crop in 91% of the certified farms as organic production and in 66% of the farmers properties with conventional production system. On the other hand, banana is the main secondary crop associated to the coffee production in both systems. A 77% of the organics farmers use banana as secondary crops and 44 % of the conventional coffee producers. Others associated crops are casaba, pigeon, fruits and yam. It is important to point out that there is not technology difference between conventional and organic coffee, except by the certificate provided by the certifiers enterprises, which allow producers sell their product in the international market, because in both production system, farmers do not use chemical products. a. Productivity The level of productivity is perceived different by farmers and farming system. A 58.5% of the total farmers interviewed perceive that the productivity has diminished. In the organic farming system 57.4 % of farmers perceive that the coffee yield has been increased due to the production management implemented. But in the conventional farming system 65.2 % of farmers perceive that the yield has diminished. On the other hand, 25.8% of the total of farmers in both farming system indicated that the productivity increased and 15.7% perceived that it has not changed. It is important to mention that the coffee plantation age is over 25 years. b. Use of Labor force Dominican and Haitian labor force compete each other in the coffee production farming systems. An 84.9% of the total farmers interviewed perceive that the use of Dominican labor has diminished. By farming system farmers perceive that the use of Dominican has been reduced in a 76.9% in the organic production and by 88.3 % in the conventional farming system. On the other hand, 8.1 % of the total of farmers indicated that the use of Dominican increased and 7.0% perceive that there are not changes in the use for Dominican labor. On the other hand, 80.1% of farmers perceive that the use of Haitian workers has increased. The same perception has the farmers implementing farming system, 79.6% in organic coffee production and 80.1 of the farmers of the conventional farming system. Only 13.8 % of the sample said that the use of Haitian labor has decreased, while 6.2 % perceive that it has not changed. 6. Externalities of the organic and conventional coffee farming system

5 The production of coffee is the most traditional agro-forestry system that takes place in hilly land around the country. Coffee is a perennial crop that contributes to protect the soil from erosion, to improve soil fertility, water infiltration and to maintain the stability of the local hydrological cycle, and consequently to improve water quality and availability and to regulate microclimates. Coffee plantation has the capacity of enhancing the ecosystem for the development of wildlife and biodiversity, and also has a high capacity for carbon sequestration. During the last years, due to better prices of the organic coffee and better market access conditions to the European market. As result of that, some production areas are being dedicated to organic production. Because of non use of fertilizer and chemicals for pest control, this production system provides valuable positive environmental externalities on water quality, human health, scenic beauty on landscape, birds precence and property value. a. Carbon Captures and Fixation of Carbon of Dioxide The potential of carbon in the biomass of the SAF of coffee produce under shadow tree, without management, with age older than twenty years and associated with cultivation of banana, small crops and the trashes, has been estimated in 142.60 tons/hectare 2 . The capacity of fixation of carbon for the SAF of coffee has been estimated in 522.86 ton/hectare. b. Friendly agricultural practices The perception of farmers about the positive externalities of the coffee AFS are based on the performance and behavior of friendly agricultural practices implemented by farmers in their farms. Integrated pest management (IPM) is applied in the farm by the 97 % of the farmers with organic farming system, while 93 % of the farmers implementing conventional farming system apply IPM. The slash and burn or the practice of burning the harvest waste is applied by 17 % of the farmers with organic production system; while in the conventional farming system, this practices is carried out by 50 % of the farmers. In terms of using conservation practices, it was found out that 91 % and 96 % of the farmers producing organic farming system implement soil conservation practices such as dead barriers and organic fertilizers respectively. However this practice is applied by 79 and 45 % of the farmers with organic and conventional farming system respectively. Table 4 of the Annex shows the use of management practices by farming system in Rio Limpio.

6 7. Perception on environmental externalities from organic and conventional coffee production farming system a. Water quality According to the result of the sample survey, the 82.6% of the total farmers interviewed consider that the water quality has diminished. This behavior is perceived by farmers implementing organic and conventional farming system. Those related to the organic production 86.1 % consider that water quality has decreased as well as the 81.0 % of the farmers from the conventional coffee farming production system. On the other hand, 4.6 % of the farmers from the organic farming system and 15.8 % of the farmers from the conventional system think that the water quality has remained the same. In terms of the total number of farmers only 12.3 % believe that the water quality has not changed due to the farming system implemented in the region. However, there plows others variable outside the production system that affect water quality, among which is recognized the human establishment close to the water stream and the disposition of domestic waste directly to the water without treatment. The environmental perception from farmers is shown in Table 5 of the Annex. b. Presence of birds The production of coffee under shadow trees provides the conditions for bird habitat. The presence of bird is recognized by farmers but under different perception. A 24.3 % believe that the presence of birds in the area has increased or at least the population has not changed. This behavior is perceived by farmers producing coffee in both farming system, organic and conventional. On the other hand, 75.7 % of farmers respond on birds presence perceive that the birds population has decreased in the zone. The organic coffee producers has the same behavior, 76.9 of them perceive that birds presence has diminished in the region, while 75.0 of farmers from the conventional farming system has the same answer. c. Landscape Before the establishment of the coffee plantation in the Rio Limpio zone, the land was cover by native forest and move from slash and burn agriculture to the agro forestry system of coffee under shadow trees. Thus the scenic beauty of landscape has changed over time up to date. In order to determine the beauty of the area, farmers were asked about their perception on the changes on the scenic beauty of the zone. A 54.2 % of the total farmers in the sample survey responded that they perceive a diminishing in the scenic beauty. In terms of farming system respond, 60.4 % of the organic coffee producers believe that it has diminished and 52.0 % of the conventional coffee producers also perceive the same. However, 45.7 % of the farmers respond that the scenic beauty of the landscape has increased or at least has stayed the same. By farming system, 35.6 % of organic farming perceives that beauty has increased and 30.0 % of conventional farming believes the same too.

d. Property value Property value of the land is related to the positive externalities generated by the existing farming system. The production of coffee under shadow trees using organic and conventional farming system provides positive externalities, environmental and economic externalities. A 95.2 % of farmers from organic farming perceived that their property value has increased. By farming system, the perception that property value has increased present a small difference, 96.3 to organic farming and 94.7 % to conventional farming system. Only 2.8 % of farmers perceive that their property value has diminished and 2.0 % believe that the property value has not changed. 8. Soil and water analysis from the organic coffee production Results of the laboratory3 analysis of the water sample taken from the Rio Limpio, show that the level of physical and chemicals conditions are below the environmental norms for water quality and disposition analysis show that because of the quality, the water only can be used for irrigation in any type of soil, due to the low level of salinity, or for the conservation of the wildlife, thus it can not be used for human consumption, unless is treated. The content of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, oil and grease were below the standard of the norm. This means that the coffee production system for organic and conventional farming does not generate negative impact on water quality, because no chemical inputs are used and farmers apply environmental friendly agricultural practices. On the other hand, the microbiology analysis results of the water sample show that the level of bacteria coli are greater than the standard level specified in the environmental norms of water quality and disposition control. It is not related to the farming system but it is related to the human settlement and their disposition, which flow to the water stream. The results of the analysis4 of the soil samples show that the soils are acid with variable level of aluminum (Al). The potassium (K) content is low, for which is recommended to improve fertilization. The level of organic matter (OM) is acceptable due to the existence of native nitrogen available in the site. The content of phosphorus (P) is very low and the presence of zinc (Zn) too. Due to the high concentration of iron (Fe) is recommended the construction of water drainage channels. As it can observe, the soil quality take place as result of the incorporation of organic matter that come from the components of the existing agro forestry farming system. 9. Description of the rice and beans irrigate farming system in San Juan de la Maguana The production systems in the area of Juan de Herrera in San Juan de la Maguana are characterized by the diversity of production of grains. The area is the main producer of beans, pigeons and rice. Sweet potatoes and other smaller cultivations also take place in

8 the area. The production of rice and beans in the San Juan de la Maguana Valley is done under conventional non-irrigated technology, as well as under irrigated technology. The land tenure in SJM is viable, 32.6% of the farmers have legal title of the land, and 21.2% have some kind of land agreement with the owner, 30.6 % work on family land and 14.5% work on agrarian reform land. During the end of the ninety decade the Agricultural Sustainable Development Project of San Juan (PRODAS)5 was implemented in this area, as a model project for developing and monitoring sustainable agriculture in hillside and downside agro ecological systems in the San Juan de la Maguana watershed. During the last twenty years large public investments have been made in the San Juan de la Maguana Valley, in order to improve rice and beans productivity and soil and water management efficiency. Around of the 70% of the farmers produce beans on irrigated land and 30 % on not irrigated land. Beans and rice are the main crops in the area and are cultivated mainly on irrigated land. Beans are produced by 38.9 % of the farmers, of which a 29.0 % of the farmers produce beans on irrigated land and the remaining 9.9 % on non irrigated land. On the other hand, rice is cultivated on irrigated land by 17.8 % of the farmers. Pigeons are cultivated by 24.2 % of the farmers but only 9.9 % cultivate on irrigated land and the remaining 14.3 % of the farmers that produce pigeon have their plantation on non irrigated land. Other minor crops are sweet potatoes, peppers, vegetables, corn and casaba. During the execution of the San Juan Agricultural Development Project (PRODAS) during the last decade of the ninety, it was promoted the use of soil and water conservation practices and agro forestry systems (AFS). Currently hillside ditches, live and dead barriers, contour planting and AFS, by combining short cycle crops with perennial tree specially fruits, are being implemented by farmers in the area. a. Use of labor force Different type of labor participates in both farming system in SJM. The farming system on non irrigated agriculture, family labor is used some times by 23.2 % of the farmers, Dominican male are hired by 21.8 %, while 6.1 % are female, 9.6 % are children and 6.8 % are Haitians. Another manner of work is the cooperation group known as convite this method is used by 4.1 % of the farmers. Under this procedure no payment is made. A 28.8 % of the farmers never have used convite as labor force. In the irrigated farming system the percentage of farmers using labor is higher than in the non irrigated farming system. Dominican male and female are hired some times by 43.3 % and 19.7 % respectively. For the harvesting time male are use by 16.9 % and female by 27.3 % of the farmers. The use of Haitian labor is 12.8 % almost twice the percentage use in the non irrigated farming system. On the other hand, 51.9 % have never hired Haitians in their farms. Only 3.3 % have used convite, while 60.5 % have never used this work method. However the use of family labor and children are higher than in

9 the non irrigated farming system, 41.9 use family labor and 22.2 % use children. But 40.2% never have used children and 19.3 % neither female.

10. Perception on environmental externalities from the rice and beans irrigated farming system a. Water quality The 84.8% of the total farmers interviewed perceive that the water quality has diminished. 25.3 % of farmers on non irrigated farming system and 59.5 % of farmer from the irrigated agricultural farming system believe that the water quality has decreased too. Only 8.0 % of the farmers from both farming system perceive an improvement on the water quality. A 2.1 % and 5.9 % of farmers from non irrigated and irrigated farming system believe that water quality has increased. On the other hand, 7.3 % of farmers think that it has stayed the same. However, there are others variable outside the production system that affect water quality, among which is recognized the human establishment close to the water stream and the disposition of domestic waste directly to the water without treatment. The environmental perception from farmers is shown in Table 6 of the Annex. b. Presence of birds To determine the agriculture impact on wildlife, the presence of bird in the area was used to ask farmers out how they perceive the agriculture externality. In this sense, an 83.9 % believe that the presence of birds in the area has decreased. When it was analyzed by farming system, 25.3 % of non irrigated farming system recognizes a decreasing of the presence of birds in the area, while 58.6 % of farmers from irrigated farming system. On the other hand, 16.2 % of farmers perceive that the population of birds has increased or has stayed unchanged in the zone. A 5.0 % of farmers from non irrigated farming system and the 11.2 % of farmers from irrigated farming system perceive that the presence of birds has increased or at least it has not diminished in the region. c. Landscape The scenic beauty of landscape has changed according to farmers, a 58.8 % of farmers from both farming system, irrigated a non irrigated agriculture perceive that it has diminished. A 37.6 % of farmers related to the non irrigated agricultural farming and

10 21.1 % of system of those implementing irrigated farming system indicated that the scenic beauty of the landscape has diminished. However, 30.5 % of farmers perceive an increment of the scenic beauty of the landscape, from which, 7.5 % are from the non irrigated farming system and a 22.9 % correspond to the irrigated farming or rice and beans. On the other hand, 10.8 % of farmers from both agricultural production systems indicated that the scenic beauty has stayed the same.

d. Property value Property value of the land is related to the positive externalities generated by the existing farming system. A 77.6 % of farmers with one farm indicated that it has been done an improvement on irrigation channel, as well as 65.5 % of farmers with two farm also have perceived the same. The investment on the development of the irrigation system for the production of rice, beans and other crops, as well as the increment on yield crops and land rent, have a positive impact on land value. A 45.5 % of farmers from irrigated farming said that the value of land has increased, while only 20.7 % of those farmers related to the non irrigated farming were agree with this statement and a 9.7 % of farmers perceive that the land value has not changed. On the other hand, 24.5 % of farmers from both farming system understand that the land value has decreased, 7.9 % correspond to non irrigated land and 16.6 % to the irrigated farming system. 11. Externalities of the irrigated farming system As far as irrigated technology contributes to stop migratory subsistence farming, it also contributes to natural reforestation of hillside land, which helps to the stabilization of the hydrological cycle and to the generation of carbon sequestration. During the period 1984 to 1998 the area of conifer forest of the Yaque del Sur River where San Juan de la Maguana is located, increased in 10 percent equivalent to 8483 hectares, by a natural regeneration process, due to the reduction of the slash and burn migratory agriculture. During the implementation of the PRODAS project during the period 1996 to 2000, around of 1800 hectares where reforested in the upper part of the watershed in order to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality. For the lower part of the watershed in none irrigated land agro forestry systems were developed by combining short cycle crops with perennial tree, with the purpose of improving farm productivity and farmers income in order to reduce migration to the hilly land or the city. In the irrigated agricultural farming system farmers use soil and water conservation practices that have been improved over time, as result of the introduction and implementation of sustainable production techniques, which tends to mitigate the environmental impact.

11

a. Use of soil and water conservation practices The use of oil and water conservation (SWC) practices in San Juan de la Maguana as result of the implementation of the PRODAS project mitigates the externalities generated by the implementation of the agricultural farming system of the area. Hillside ditches, dead and lives barriers, contour planting and water drain channels are the main SWC used in the region since five years and in some cases a little more. Water drainage channel is used by 51.6 % of farmers with irrigated agriculture since five years or more in their plots; while 48.0 % of farmers of the sample survey actually implement these practices in their farms. The 57.9 % of farmers from both farming systems use the soil conservation practice of live barriers, of which 32.0 % of farmers are using this practice during the last five years. The use of SWC by farmers is a result of the public investment, mainly the PRODAS project, which was implemented during 1996 to 2001with major emphasis on irrigation infrastructure, technology transfer on soil and water conservation practices, agro forestry system and farmers organization to reach the agricultural development trough improving productivity and the use of soil and water resources in a more efficient manner. b. Technical assistance A continue public investment have been done in the area of SJM in order to improve agricultural development, through the construction of dams, irrigation channels. Public institutions related to the agricultural sector provide technical assistance to farmers in different aspect of the production farming system, such as water management, soil and water conservation, organic agricultural, agro forestry, sanitation, and farmers organization. As result of the survey 56.6 % of farmers from both farming system receive technical assistance at least one to three time a moth, of this 20.6% corresponds to the non irrigated farming system and the 35.9 % correspond to irrigated farming system. On the other hand, 32.4 % receive technical assistance more than three times a month, of this, 28.8 % are from the irrigated farming system. Around 87.8 % of farmers from both agricultural production systems recognize this service as very useful. A 64.4 % are farmers from the irrigated farming system. According to the 95.1 % of the farmers from both farming system, the technical assistances service is provided by the government agencies. c. Water quality monitoring A monitoring water quality done by INDRHI during the period 1997 to 20006 within the area of influence of 123,600 hectares in the SJM valley, with 27 monitoring water quality point or stations, indicate that the level of chloride in the San Juan river was 0.13 mg/l,

12 which did not represent toxicity problem for the use in crop production. However the level of toxicity of sodium was found higher than 3 mg/l in some areas of the valley, which created problems of soil salinity. The level of nitrate were found between 1.42 and 9.81 mg/l. only 3 stations from 27 did not presented toxicity problems for the production of crops. On the other hand, it was found that the water is not good for human use because the water samples shown a very high level of bacteria colis, over 4000 of bacteria in 100 ml, which is higher than the acceptable level of 887/ml. 12. CONCLUSIONS The agricultural farming systems considered in this study present a variety of positive environmental externalities and in some cases generate externalities that mitigate their impact on the environment. For the organic farming production systems these are some of the main conclusions: It was found the organic coffee production system in Rio Limpio is generating positive environmental externalities on water quality, soil conservation, birds habitat, landscape, and improving life quality of the farmers and income, due to better price of the organic coffee. The coffee farming system also provides other environmental service, such as the fixation of carbon, which is estimated in 522.86 ton/hectare. The potential of carbon in the biomass of the SAF of coffee under shadow tree, without management, with age older than twenty years and associated with cultivation of banana, small crops and the trashes, has been estimated in 142.60 tons/hectare. The organic coffee farming system present a high use of friendly agricultural practices, 96 % of farmers use soil conservation practices, 97 % apply integrated pest management, and 83 % do not burn the harvest waste. 57.4 % of the farmers within the organic farming system perceive that the coffee productivity has increased, as result of the implementation of the farming practices.

For the rice and beans irrigated farming system, which focus on the impact of the public investment on irrigated agriculture, the main conclusion of the study are the following: The presence of birds has decrease in the San Juan de la Maguana Valley, this response com from the 83.9 % of the farmers surveyed.

13 The water quality for human consumption has decreased according to the 84.0 % of the farmers. The laboratory analysis indicate that the water is not good for human use because the water samples shown a very high level of bacteria colis, over 4000 of bacteria in 100 ml, which is higher than the acceptable level of 887/ml. Laboratory analysis shows that the level of toxicity of sodium was found higher than 3 mg/l in some areas of the valley, which created problems of soil salinity. The level of nitrate were found between 1.42 and 9.81 mg/l. only 3 stations from 27 did not presented toxicity problems for the production of crops. Laboratory analysis shows that the level of toxicity of sodium was found higher than 3 mg/l in some areas of the valley, which created problems of soil salinity. The property value has increased according to the 77.6 % of farmers, due to the public investment on the irrigation infrastructure. The soil and water conservation practices are applied by 57.9 % of farmers surveyed since more than five years, as result of the implementation of the PRODAS project. The area with conifer forest increase by 10 % during the period 1984 to 1998, as result of the reduction of the slash and burn migratory agriculture in the mountain, due to the investment on the irrigation infrastructure. Reforestation and agro forestry projects were implemented in the upper and lower part of the watershed as result of the PRODAS project in order to reduce soil erosion, increase farmers income and migration from their farm. Technical assistance is provided by government according to the 95.1 % of farmers surveyed and 56.6 of farmers are assisted at least three times a month.

14

13. END NOTES

1

2
3

Dominican institution responsible of the national coffee policy

INDRHI. Laboratory of Water Quality. April 30, 2003. 4 Fertilizantes Quimicos Dominicanos, S.A. Laboratoy of Agricultural Analysis. April 22, 2003. 5 From the Spanish name 5 INDRHI. Programa de Desarrollo Agrcola del Valle de San Juan (PRODAS). Plan de Monitoreo Ambiental. Informe Final: Monitoreo Calidad de Agua. Dic. 2000. San Juan de la Maguana.

Rodrguez, Jorge y Pratt Lawrence, Agosto 1997.

15

ANNEX

16

Table 1. Stratification of farmers by coffee farming system in Rio Limpio Farming system Total (N) Percentage Sample (n) 26 18 31 75 9 32 48 8 28 28 155 230

Organic Ro Limpio 63 35 Los Cerezos 42 23 Maria Cesteros 74 41 Sub-Total* 180 99 Conventional Ro Limpio. 22 6 Maria Cesteros 79 21 Carrizal 119 31 Cruz de cabrera 20 5 La Pocilga 68 18 Las Rosas 68 18 Sub-Total 376 Total 556 * One farm not considered because use very high technology. Source: Author

Table 2. Total coffee area, producers by farming system and communities in Rio Limpio. Communities Ro Limpio Las Rosas Carrizal Cruz de Cabrera Total producers 85 68 120 20 Conventional producers 22 68 120 20 Organic Producers 63 Hectares 213 123 543 39

17

Mariano Cestero La Pocilga Los Cerezos

153 68 42

79 68 0

74 42

648 206 61

Total 556 180 1,833 Source: National Inventory of Coffee Producers. CODOCAFE. Santo Domingo. 2001. Table 3. Distribution of the sample population by community in San Juan de la Maguana Communities Juan de Herrera Urbana Hato Nuevo Los Montones Juan de Herrera rural Sosa Jnova Total
Source: ONE.

Universe (N) 1546 1454 408 200 384 558 4,550

Percentage 34 32 9 4 8 12 100

Sample (n) 121 113 32 16 30 43 355

Table 4. Use of management practices byfarming system in Rio Limpioercentage. Management practices Integrate Management Pest Burns waste Dead barriers Organic fertilizer Prune
Source:Author.

Organic farming system 96.6 17.0 91.0 96.0 92.0

Conventional farming system 93.0 50.0 79.0 45.0 76.0

18

Table 5. Environmental perception of farmers by coffee farming production system in Rio Limpio, in percentage. Natural Resources and Environment Water quality Increased Remained the same Diminished Presence of birds Increased Remained the same Diminished Scenic beauty Increased Remained the same Diminished Property value Increased Remained the same Diminished Farming production system Organic Conventional 9.3 4.6 86.1 11.1 12.0 76.9 35.6 4.0 60.4 96.3 1.9 1.9 3.2 15.8 81.0 10.1 14.9 75.0 30.0 18.1 52.0 94.7 2.0 3.3 Total 5.0 12.3 82.6 10.3 14.0 75.7 32.1 13.6 54.2 95.2 2.0 2.8

Source: Author

19

Table 6. Environmental perception of farmers by farming production system in San Juan de la Maguana, in percentege. Natural Resources and Environment Presence of birds Increased Remained the same Diminished Water quality Increased Remained the same Diminished
Land Property value

Farming production system Non irrigated Irrigated 2.5 2.5 25.3 2.1 3.1 25.3 20.7 2.1 7.9 7.5 2.2 21.1 6.3 4.9 58.6 5.9 4.2 59.5 45.5 7.6 16.6 22.9 8.6 37.6

Total 8.8 7.4 83.9 8.0 7.3 84.8 65.9 9.7 24.5 30.5 10.8 58.8

Increased Remained the same Diminished Scenic beauty Increased Remained the same Diminished Source: Author.