| Vision
The T-STAR program provides high quality research results which contribute to an improved
quality of life for all people in the tropical and subtropical regions of the United
States of America.
Mission
To develop high quality and useful agricultural research which is relevant to industry
needs, has a demonstrated impact, protects the environment, enhances economic
opportunities, and provides for the social well-being of the people in the tropical and
subtropical regions of the United States of America through collaborative efforts.
Introduction
Agriculture, in the United States of America, includes an important, but often overlooked,
component geographically situated in broadly distributed locations having a tropical or
subtropical environment. Many of these islands have unique ecosystems and related
opportunities. Often the people involved in these regions are in minority groups
struggling to emerge from poverty and to develop an improved quality of life.
Formerly dominated by a "plantation" paradigm of production of limited
numbers of crops such as pineapple and bananas, this segment of United States agriculture
is rapidly diversifying to take advantage of its climate and indigenous plant and animal
species in the production and processing of a variety of exciting new products.
The often fragile ecosystems in these areas are attractive and integral to rapidly
growing industries related to tourism and recreation. Prudent use of these natural
resources to achieve the goal of improved economic activity from agriculture, while
preserving and enhancing the environmental and natural resource base requires an active
and ongoing program of research and development that is now being provided by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Special Grant in Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture Research
(T-STAR).
This document lays out a strategy for refocusing and continuing the Tropical and
Subtropical Agriculture Research program in the context of the rapidly changing external
and internal environments in which it exists. The program continues its orientation
to the Caribbean and Pacific Basins but is redirected to more adequately capture the
intersection between environment, natural resources, and production of food and fiber.
The strategy expresses broad outcome oriented goals and more specific objectives that
will meet the changing needs of United States agriculture in tropical and subtropical
locations.
While the strategy is developed in terms of projected needs and outcomes, it also
recognizes that certain structural and institutional goals are also relevant to achieving
these goals. For instance, it is implicit in this plan that the spectrum of research
from discovery to application may be involved in achieving the stated goals. In some
instances, the program must provide information on related issues such as nutritional
value of the products of island agriculture. An inherent strength of the program is
the development and expansion of collaboration between the universities involved in the
Caribbean and Pacific Basins. A further strength is that the program is conducted in
institutions which have established extension capabilities to facilitate the technology
transfer process.
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Action Plan for Program Goals
Provide research that maintains and enhances production
of established tropical and subtropical agricultural products.
Issues
Current agricultural production systems in tropical island economies are heavily impacted
by pest and disease problems and market transportation constraints including quarantine
issues, both politically and scientifically-based. These problems weigh heavily on
the economic viability of current agricultural products. Solutions to these problems
must consider the maintenance and enhancement of productivity, quality, and the
implementation of environmentally sound sustainable practices.
Objectives
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Develop new or
enhanced plant and animal production and protection practices that are environmentally
sound and sustainable, and maintain, or enhance, productivity and quality.
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Improve the
production performance and quality of existing tropical and subtropical plants and animals
through genetics, introduction of new germplasm, traditional breeding and biotechnology. |
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Develop agricultural practices in the tropics and subtropics that are environmentally
acceptable through an agroecosystems approach.
Issues
Tropical and subtropical island
ecosystems are finite and extremely fragile. Increased tourism and population are
impacting these ecosystems through increasing utilization and destruction of natural
resources including the importation of exotic pests. Current and new agricultural
production systems must be environmentally sound with minimal impacts on natural
resources.
Objectives
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Develop
economically viable biological control methods for serious island tropical pests and
diseases which reduce or eliminate the use of environmentally harmful chemicals.
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Develop natural
resource conservation strategies for the regions.
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Develop
practical systems for management of fertility of tropical and subtropical soils.
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Develop
economically viable animal waste management systems and practices for island ecosystems. |
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Enhance the role of value-added agriculture in tropical island ecosystems.
Issues
Plantation agricultural production systems (e.g. bananas, sugar, pineapple, etc.) in
island economies have historically exported the "raw agricultural products" with
the exception of vertically integrated companies. The value was then added at the
raw products final destination. Destination value was increased by a factor of 2 to
5 times with additional postharvest handling, processing, packaging, and (or) marketing.
New knowledge and technologies must be developed which support island private
sector development of new value-added products and markets.
Objectives
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Enhance the
quality, shelf life and safety of perishable tropical agricultural products.
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Develop generic
technology for new and improved processing, manufacturing and marketing methods aimed at
the products of tropical agriculture.
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Define the
principles for regionalization of agricultural production, processing and marketing among
U.S. island communities to expand markets, extend time of availability of perishable
products, and improve supply, quality and quality control.
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Optimize the
impact of regulatory constraints on marketing of products of tropical island agriculture,
ensuring the appropriate intersection between safety and minimum constraints. |
TOP
Expand and diversify presently
unexploited food and fiber products which have potential for commercial production in the
U.S. tropical and subtropical regions.
Issues
Tropical and subtropical island economies are rapidly changing with the decrease of
plantation agriculture, the increases in tourism in the region, and the increasing demand
by consumers for new product experiences. These changes result in a multitude of
constantly changing market niches waiting to be filled. Market niches include local
as well as regional ethnic demands, seasonal niches, sector demands (e.g. tourism), and
location niches.
Objectives
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Identify and
develop production systems for new plant and animal products that have potential for
market niches.
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Determine
market niche opportunities for increases sales and use of plants and animals produced in
the tropics.
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Explore new
approaches to agroforestry which allow the simultaneous production of new food and fiber
crops on tropical soils while minimizing soil erosion.
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TOP
Expand tropical and subtropical
agriculture's linkages to related industries and economic sectors.
Issues
Tourism and recreation, including agroecotourism, are increasingly dominant sources of
income in the economies of both the Caribbean and Pacific Basins. Tourism, including
its integration with agriculture in the form of agroecotourism, offers significant
opportunities for the development of market niches based on new food and nutrition
experiences for the tourist consumer and new educational experience by exposure to various
agricultural production systems.
Objectives
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Identify and
characterize the market niches and opportunities for the Caribbean and Pacific Basins'
tourism industries such as cruise lines, airlines, restaurants and hotels, and develop
supply and marketing strategies for delivering high quality products on a timely and
sustainable basis.
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Formulate
policies on developing and maintaining the natural resource base to support various
outdoor recreation activities such as nature trails, parks, gardens and golf courses.
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Define, develop
and support the use of agricultural production systems and related natural resources for
agroecotourism, e.g. the use of producing farms and forests for tourism by those
interested in visiting and understanding tropical and subtropical ecosystems.
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Develop and
market new products specifically derived from and linked to the culture and environment of
the islands and directed to the tourist as a consumer. |
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Develop and deliver user friendly
decision support packages to help client needs.
Issues
The complexity of today's society requires broad-based decision information in order to
function competitively and within the framework of environmental and sustainable
parameters. Decision information and tools are required by producers, processors,
marketers, policy makers, elected officials, etc. Information must be packaged so
that it is easily accessible, and is integrated and incorporated into valid decisions.
Objectives
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Improve the efficiency and economic returns
of agriculture systems through precision farming.
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Provide integrated information to protect
the natural resource base while improving productivity in tropical agroecosystems.
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Assist decision makers to implement the
best management practices for economic utilization of land, labor and capital.
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Develop appropriate strategies and tactics to stem the influx of exotic diseases, insects and weeds and to control and/or eliminate extant non-indigenous species and diseases.
Issues
With the growing threat form foot-and-mouth disease, Formosa termites, fire ants and a host of other potentially devastating invasions, we must move aggressively to protect the US against the growing environmental and economic threat of non-indigenous plants, animals, insects and microbes, either presently in the US or threatening to enter. Enhancement of research and education programs for interdiction, eradication and suppression of exotic species in a manner that conserves the natural environment is urgently needed.
Objectives
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Develop a data base of non-indigenous organisms that pose a potential threat.
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Develop the expertise to identify non-indigenous organisms quickly and accurately.
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Improve risk-management protocols including the determination of likeliest invaders and potential economic and ecological impacts.
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Develop biological, chemical, genetic and physical control mechanisms for the effective, economical and sustainable eradiction/suppresion of non-indigenous species. |
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To enhance the linkages of the agriculture and food system with nutrition, health, and socio-economic status of the people in the tropical and sub-tropical regions.
Issues
Obesity, diabetes and other adverse health conditions are prevalent among the population in the tropical and sub-tropical regions. These problems if not ameliorated will bear a great cost to the US health system, communities and society. Prevention and treatment taken into account the unique context of tropical agriculture, local foods, and lifestyle offer the necessary and sufficient approaches to achieving our agricultural and economic objectives.
Strategies for achieving healthy living in urban and rural communities may vary in tropical and sub-tropical regions form the temperate counterparts. Differing foods, physical and climatic surroundings, and culture create both barriers and offer opportunities to developing innovative approaches to achieving healthy and productive citizenry.
TOP
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