Farming in The Valley, Anguilla. (F. Mukhida, 2007)

Agriculture is one of the oldest practices of human civilization. For thousands upon thousands of years, humans have been growing and harvesting crops and domesticating and rearing animals. Agriculture is actually one of the reasons why we began to settle down in one area and to build permanent homes; why we were able to move away from the nomadic lifestyle that came with hunting and gathering. Over the millennia, the ways in which we farm and the tools that we use have evolved and changed. One thing, though, that has remained constant is agriculture’s reliance on biodiversity.

Biodiversity describes all of the living organisms that are found on the Earth. All of these organisms depend on each other to survive – whether it is for food or for habitat. So it is no surprise that agriculture – a practice that uses more land than any other human activity in most countries – has an affect on and is affected by biodiversity.

Organic green peppers grown on Mr. Asta Niles’ farm in South Hill, Anguilla. (F. Mukhida, 2008)

Over the last 10 000 years, 7 000 different types of plants have been cultivated. Today, though, only 30 crops provide about 90% of the world’s food energy requirements. Wheat, rice, and corn lead the way by providing about half of the dietary energy consumed globally. While there are at least 15 000 animals and birds worldwide, only about 30 to 40 have been domesticated for food and less than 14, including goats and chickens, make up 90% of global livestock production.

What this means is that the plants and animals that we eat today were selected and cultivated from the thousands of others that exist. These organisms hold, within their cells, the genetic resources that farmers use and depend on for food production today and in the future. An organism’s genes hold its blueprint – it contains all the information needed to show what that organism will look like and how it will behave in different environments. So while there are differences among different species, there are also differences among individuals within a species and within varieties of such species (such as different types of potatoes, tomatoes, mangos, and bananas). These traits that allow for organisms to survive Anguilla’s dry and wet seasons, its high temperatures, and attacks from pests and parasites are found in these genes and it is these traits and all of the differences that exist among them that will allow organisms to adapt to changes in their environments.

So why else should we make sure that agricultural systems and ecosystems are biologically diverse?

• Biodiversity in agricultural and associated landscapes provides and maintains ecosystem services essential to agriculture. These services include: providing food, fibre, fuel, biochemical and genetic resources, and freshwater; helping to regulate flooding, pests, pollination, seed dispersal, erosion of land, purification of water, and control of climate and disease; supporting many spiritual and religious values, knowledge and education systems, and providing opportunities for recreation and inspiration; supporting primary production, the cycling of nutrients and water, providing habitat, and producing oxygen.
• Pollination is an especially critical service – pollinators such as bees, butterflies, birds, bats, wasps, and beetles actually help with the fertilisation and reproduction of plants. While figures for Anguilla or the Caribbean are not available, estimates indicate that bee pollination services in the United States alone (the source of much of Anguilla’s food) range up to US$16 billion annually.
• Agriculture contributes to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity but it is also a major driver of biodiversity loss. Farmers and agricultural producers are custodians of agricultural biodiversity and possess the knowledge needed to manage and sustain it.
• Sustainable agriculture both promotes and is enhanced by biodiversity. Sustainable agriculture uses water, land, and nutrients, efficiently, while producing lasting economic and social benefits. Barriers inhibiting its widespread adaption need to be reduced. These barriers include the use of monocultures, using genetically modified crops that require high inputs of nonorganic fertilisers, using chemicals to control pests, weeds, and disease, and the indiscriminate clearing of relatively large tracts of land without fully considering how selective clearing could actually complement and help increase agricultural production.
• Agricultural producers respond to consumer demands and government policies. To ensure food security, adequate nutrition and stable livelihoods, we must increase food production while adopting sustainable and efficient agriculture, sustainable consumption, and landscape-level planning that ensure the preservation of biodiversity.

Mr. Niles uses compost on his farm. Compost can reduce chemical pesticides since it contains beneficial microorganisms that may protect plants from diseases and pests. (F. Mukhida, 2008)

In 2008, a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan was drafted for Anguilla. Covering a range of sectors, the Strategy and Action Plan for agriculture noted that the industry has had a number of impacts on Anguilla’s biodiversity, including:

• Increasingly using herbicides and pesticides to kill wild species that are considered pests and weeds;
• The introduction of exotic species for landscaping and pasture improvement which can lead to the loss of native species;
• The accidental introduction of invasive species, such as the Giant African Snail and the Cuban Tree Frog, usually through the importation of ornamental plants; and
• The overstocking of domestic livestock which may lead to over-grazing, soil erosion, and changes in natural habitat.

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Anguilla’s agricultural sector outlines a number of measures that both professional and backyard gardeners and farmers can use to help conserve biodiversity. Actions range from

• Preventing the introduction and controlling of alien invasive species;
• Maintaining local knowledge and practices relevant to the sustainable use of biodiversity;
• Supporting efforts to reintroduce threatened species into the natural habitats; and
• Encouraging communities to help restore degraded areas.

Agriculture is becoming an increasingly important industry in Anguilla, especially as the island is trying to become less dependent on imported food products. Maintaining biological diversity will not only lead to a healthier island and healthier communities, but also to higher and more profitable agricultural yields.

To learn more about the National Environmental Management Strategy, the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, or how you can help manage Anguilla’s natural environment, please contact the Department of Environment at 497 2451 ext. 2785 or the Anguilla National Trust at 497 5297. This article was made possible with funds provided by the Overseas Territories Environment Programme and the Department of Environment.

Information for this article was sourced from: Floyd Homer’s Status of the Agricultural Sector in Anguilla (2008) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Biodiversity and Agriculture: Safeguarding Biodiversity and Securing Food for the World (2008).