This dissertation represents the cumulation of several years of rewarding research work with the University of Twente, the Government of Barbados, and the United Nations Development Programme. The completion of this body of work was facilitated through the contribution of many people and organizations at various stages of its development. I would therefore like to use this opportunity thank those people and organisations who have made an invaluable contribution to the success and completion of this work.Firstly, I am eternally grateful to God for his grace, goodness, strength, and blessing of good health which facilitated the completion of this dissertation. I would also like to thank my lovely, supportive, and understanding wife Eldawna, for being there throughout this journey. A big thank you to my very own princess and daughter Faith who has been patiently waiting for this dissertation to finish especially in the last year work so that she can have more time with her dad and return to being the center of attention without competition. During this journey my Dad passed away, I would like to take this opportunity to thank him and my mum for the values of hard work and perseverance they have instilled in me, both were necessary to complete the journey. Dad would be proud. Thank you to my friends who have gone beyond the call of duty to help me over different hurdles encountered at various parts of the journey. My appreciation is extended to Troy Weekes, Faith Richards, and Arturo Balderas. I extend a special thank you to colleagues from my previous Alma mater, the University of York and specifically Dave Raffaelli, Jim Smart and Jon Lovett. Jon was instrumental in his strong recommendation of the University of Twente as a research institution ideally suited for my PhD research aspirations. While Dave and Jim both strongly endorsed and supported this pursuit. The foundation laid at the University of York made it relatively easy to make this transition. To Adrian Cashman and Winston Moore from the University of the West Indies, thank you for your strategic guidance and advice.The Government of Barbados has been consistently supportive of my academic and research work from providing full financial support as a UK Commonwealth Scholar at York and during my transition to the University of Twente. I want to specifically thank Barton Clarke, Michael King, Lennox Chandler, Stevenson Skeete, Lionel Weekes, Suzette Edey-Babb, and Leo Brewster. They represent a cross section of Government Ministries but were singular in ensuring that I had the relevant permissions and resources necessary to initiate the PhD and complete the field work. A big thank you to Robert Saul for his support in marshalling the enumerators and providing access to the farmers' database. I must also recognize the partnership with the private firm GeoORBIS and the invaluable contribution of Renee Babb to the virtual choice experiment.