The intercropping of smallholder coconuts in Western Samoa : an analysis using multi-stage linear programming
Date
1977
Authors
Burgess, Richard John
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Canberra, ACT : The Australian National University
Abstract
The village agricultural sector of Western Samoa holds a key
position in the country's economy, commanding the majority of the productive
resources and providing a large proportion of export earnings.
Present trends however show declining export earnings and an exodus of
younger males from village agriculture into wage employment in Apia
and through migration to New Zealand. Trends are seen to reflect
declining returns per manday in traditional production systems.
A modern systematic intercropping system is investigated as to its
technical and economic feasibility as a means of providing rural family
cash income requirements in competition with alternative sources.
The technical basis of intercropping is established prior
to detailing individual crop yield, price and input parameters. Cash
flows obtained were compared on returns to labour. To obtain an optimal
combination of coconuts and intercrops from an economic standpoint,
alternative programming techniques were considered and multi-stage
linear programming adopted. This permitted adequate modelling of the
intercropping system's inter-relationships and optimisation of the
system over the life-cycle of the coconut stand.
The model maximised the present value of cash surpluses,
which represented the return to labour. It allowed a portion of family
labour to be allocated competitively between wage and on-farm employment.
Financing of the cash deficits during perennial crop establishment was
through loans or cash transfers. Medium to high planting densities for coconut were optimal
for the intercropping system adopted. Pineapple and cocoa were the
dominant intercrops. An increasing portion of family labour in wage
employment was drawn on for land resource increments above four hectares
up to full utilisation at approximately eight hectares. Higher rates
of time preference reduced the total area established. Cash surpluses
above a basic family living requirement barely met the level obtainable
in alternative employment in the first half of the coconut life cycle
but were substantially higher thereafter. Attention needs to be directed
to the present non-intercropping phase to improve the economic
attractiveness of the system. Further analysis is required of shorter
segments of the system to establish within-period cash flow financing
requirements.
The intercropping system is regarded as capable of making
a valuable contribution to rural family livelihood and of having a
substantial impact on the overall economy.
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Thesis (Masters sub-thesis)
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