"In 2009, the Government of Venezuela donated Coffee processing equipment to the Government of Dominica, which was installed in what is now known as the Coffee Plant in One Mile Portsmouth. This plant has the potential to process 2000 tones of Coffee annually"
"Hurricane David in 1979 coupled by the stiff competition with bananas - which gave better financial returns per acre - dealt a severe blow to the Coffee industry, but continued to be grown for local consumption and minor exports," (Inserts taken from the project document)
Coffee Araibica is a species of Coffee originally indigenous to the mountains of the South Western high lands of Ethiopia. Its seeds are used to make ground Coffee. At present there are about 50 acres of Araibica Coffee in Dominica distributed throughout the island, unfortunately the majority of the fields are in abandoned and semi abandoned conditions, some of the Coffee is harvested and the balance is left on the trees.
The construction of the Coffee plant in Portsmouth and the emergence of new market opportunities for Coffee and Coffee products in Europe and America are causing much attention to be diverted towards the revitalization of the Coffee industry in Dominica. Sustaining these markets will require an aggressive propagation, rehabilitation, and expansion programme.
Dominica has a long and storied history of growing Coffee. It is generally believed that Arabica Coffee was introduced into Dominica in the eighteenth century by early French settlers. With the introduction of Coffee, Dominica suddenly became a country of great interest not only to the French but also the British. The country appeared ideally suited for Coffee production because of its abundant rainfall and high proportion of highlands. From 1743 to 1763 Coffee production nearly tripled, moving from 684,700 to 1,690,360 pounds.
However, Hurricane David in 1979 coupled by the stiff competition with bananas - which gave better financial returns per acre - dealt a severe blow to the Coffee industry, but continued to be grown for local consumption and minor exports, especially to the neighbouring French islands. Attempts during the early Nineteen Nineties to resuscitate the industry were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, the same climatic and geographic conditions that existed in the Eighteenth Century still exists today and with Coffee fetching a premium price on the international market, Dominica stands to benefit economically if the required policies are instituted and farmers respond by establishing and maintaining the required acreages.
In 2009, the Government of Venezuela donated Coffee processing equipment to the Government of Dominica, which was installed in what is now known as the Coffee Plant in One Mile Portsmouth. This plant has the potential to process 2000 tones of Coffee annually. Currently in Dominica, Coffee acreages stand at approximately 45 acres and for the Coffee Plant to be self sufficient where local production is concerned it would require 1600 acres of Coffee to be established.
Based on the numerous requests for quality Coffee from the French territories and the raw material required by the Coffee Plant, it would seem sensible to direct efforts at increasing the acreages under Coffee cultivation whereby fostering sustainable development in the subsector.
Against this backdrop the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica has embarked on an initiative to revitalize the Coffee industry in Dominica.
The main components of the project are:
· Conducting an island wide Coffee census.
· The rehabilitation of 50 acres of existing Coffee fields.
· The establishment of 300 acres of new planting (phase 1)
· The propagation of 210,000 plants over a three year period.
· The establishment of 7 demonstration Plots Island wide.
This will constitute phase 1 of the project and will be for a period of 3 years commencing June 2015.
1. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
A. General Objective:
To facilitate the restoration, rehabilitation and the long-term competitiveness of the local Coffee sub sector with special emphasis on production, leading to sustained long-term growth and viability of the sub sector and to position Dominica as a leading coffee producer..
B. Specific Objectives:
· Regenerate interest in the Coffee subsector by providing incentives and subsidies to Coffee growers
· Rehabilitate most of the existing Coffee acreages
· Establish new acreages of Coffee up to 300 in phase I
· Utilize the latest technologies to reduce labor and increase productivity
· Set up propagation centers to produce strong healthy seedlings
· Training of farmers.
· Create employment and improve living conditions of rural families
· Produce 210,000 seedlings
· Establish 7 demonstration plots in the major coffee growing areas.
2. BENEFICERIES
2.1 The beneficiaries of the coffee project will definitely be the farmers in the major coffee growing areas in Dominica. Ranking in order from highest to lowest of documented number of farmers per agricultural region who met the minimum requirement of 50 trees to qualify as a coffee farmer:
1. North East Region
2. Central Region
3. North Region
4. East
5. West Coast
6. South East
7. South
2.2. The Government of Dominica will benefit by an increase in production this should translate into much needed foreign currency entering the country by way of exports of coffee beans and value added products .
2.3 Processers.
3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
3.1.Coffee cultivation is very intensive and will require deep, rich well drained soils. Therefore, the project will provide funding to assist in rehabilitation of existing fields and establishment of new fields
3.2 One Coffee propagation Center will be established at One Mile (Portsmouth) and will be managed by a Coffee propagation coordinator jointly supervised by the station foreman and extension staff of the Division of Agriculture. The retrofitting of the center should be completed by June 2015.
3.3 Field productivity will be immensely increased by supplying farmers with strong healthy seedlings and training in cultivation techniques, particularly pruning methods which allow harvesting from ground level, land preparation, planting and caring of plants.
3.4 Coffee production will be concentrated in sheltered valleys or hillsides where there is no danger of water logging. Plots will be established at altitudes of 1,000ft and above with well distributed rainfall ranging from 80” to 120” per annum.
3.5 The qualifying conditions for growers to receive assistance under the project will be:
a) The location must be suitable for the tree crop to be planted (not waterlogged)
b) The applicant must have the right to use the land
c) The acreage must be at a minimum of 0.5 acre in any one qualifying period
d) Planting must be in pure stands
e) The applicant must agree in writing to follow instructions of the Division of Agriculture in relation to the operation of the scheme
f) That all input received will be regarded as being under loan conditions and that repayment of the cost of inputs and subsidies will be made if the farmer does not maintain cultivation practices recommended by the Ministry
3.6 Qualified growers will be entitled to:
a) Labour - assistance in land preparation, lining, holing, planting and provision of economic shade crop material
b) Labour -assistance in maintaining the new tree crop plantation up to year four (3)
c) Free planting material
d) Free capital inputs, including weedicide and fertilizer up to year three (3) when the trees are expected to be at economic bearing stage
3.7 Establishment of Demonstration Plots
Seven demonstration plots of ½ acre will be established on selected farmers’ holdings in four main Coffee producing regions. Selection of farms will be based on accessibility and most centrally located in the production area. The plots will remain the property of the farmer hence the product belongs to the farmer. The Coffee Project will provide the necessary assistance to maintain the plots.
3.8 The varieties of Arabic Coffee to be cultivated are the Typica, Geisha, and Caturra all of which are available in Dominica. They carry the characteristic of being dwarf varieties, heavy bearers, excellent flavors and disease resistant. The Coffee will be planted in lines along contours each plant 6 ft apart with 12 ft between each line giving a plant density of 605 per acre.
3.9 Coffee plants require 50 % shade during the first three years, shade will be provided by bananas or some other suitable commercial crop.
3.10 Training will be conducted in the form of workshops/ seminars and field demonstrations. The workshops/ seminars will be organized as a national event while the demonstrations will be regional for more interaction.
4. IMPLEMETATION SCHEDULE
ACTIVITY |
RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY |
TIME TABLE 2014 /15 |
TIME TABLE 2015 /16 |
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Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
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Identify Propagation Site. |
MOA |
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Sensitization Meetings |
MOA |
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Procurement of Tools and Supplies |
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Source Planting Material |
MOA |
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Propagation Activities |
MOA |
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Commence Distribution of Plants |
MOA |
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Land Clearing, Shade establishment, |
MOA |
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Training |
MOA |
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(PLANTS TAKE APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 16 MONTHS TO REACH DISTRIBUTION SIZE)
5. PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH
The Coffee Project will be managed by a coordinator who will have overall responsibility for the project activities including coordinating and executing all activities associated with this project. Breakdown of the management approach is as follows.
Position |
Responsibility |
Project Sponsor |
-Responsible for all funding decisions. -Delegation of coordinators responsibility. -Award of contracts |
Coordinator |
-Managing and executing project activities. -Communicating with sub managers on progress of individual project activities. |
Station foreman |
-Supervising propagation -Communicating with coordinator on progress. |
Propagators |
-Executing activities as it relates to propagation |
6. PROJECT SCOPE
Scope Statement
The scope of the project includes initiating, planning, execution, and closure. All phases of the project will be evaluated by the project sponsor hence, the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica. The Coffee Rehabilitation and Expansion Project 2015 is a three year project. The project includes conducting an island wide Coffee census, the rehabilitation of 50 acres of coffee, the propagation of 210,000 plants, the establishment of 300 acres of new planting, the training of farmers, the distribution of agricultural inputs associated with rehabilitation and expansion.
In scope
· Conduct an island wide survey
· Rehabilitate 50 acres of abandoned Coffee fields
· Establish and improve 300 acres of Coffee varieties
· Train 300 farmers
· Distribution of agricultural inputs
· Distribute planting material to farmers.
Out of Scope
· The project will not facilitate plots established with undocumented Coffee varieties
· The project will not provide 100% funds for cleaning of plots.
· The project will not enter into marketing arrangements.
· The project will not be responsible for mentainance of fields and inputs after year three.
· The project will not facilitate farmers who do not sign contracts with the project to adhere to terms and conditions.
· The project will not provide 100% financing for establishment.
10. PROPAGATION
A total of 210,000 plants will be propagated over a three year period. This translate into approximately 332 acres (110 acres annually / 70,000 plants).
A. REHABILITATION
Approximately 50 acres of Arabica Coffee exist locally. The majority of the fields can be found in the Syndicate and Opiton catchment area s. While most of the fields are in production the general condition of the fields need to be addressed. Providing incentives to farmers will encourage proper maintenance of fields.
The following incentives will be provided:
· Four bags of the appropriate fertilizer per acre
· Two quarts of weedicide per acre
· Free planting material to replace missing plants
· Assistance in the pruning of trees.
12. ESTABLISHMENT
Phase 1 of the project is spread out over a three year period. The targeted number of acres of Arabica Coffee to be established is 300 acres. Qualified growers will be entitled to:
· Labour - assistance in land preparation, lining, holing, planting and provision of economic shade crop material
· Free planting material
· Labour - assistance in maintaining the new tree crop plantation up to year four (4)
· Free capital inputs, including weedicide and fertilizer up to year four (4) when the trees are expected to be at economic bearing stage.
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SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS
Ø 50 acres of the crop is already established
Ø There is willingness on the part of farmers to rehabilitate and expand
Ø The newly constructed Coffee factory has the potential to take all raw material produced
Ø The majority of farmers are familiar with Coffee cultivation
Ø Dominica is known for its high quality Coffee
Ø There is a lucrative international Coffee trade
WEAKNESS
Ø The majority of plots are poorly mentained
Ø The farming population is aging
Ø High incidence of pest and disease
Ø No central buying and processing facility
Ø Plots are small and scattered
OPPORTUNITY
Ø There is potential for the development of cottage industries
Ø There is land available for expansion
Ø The central processing facility will encourage farmers to produce
Ø Production of organic Coffee
Ø Creation of jobs and foreign currency
THREATS
Ø Adverse weather conditions.
Ø The infestation of foreign pest and diseases.
Ø Difficulties in supplying and maintaining quantities.
Ø Lack of policies to govern the sector