Agricultural Extension is an essential service, and this was even more so highlighted in this global pandemic which has significantly affected the agricultural sector. This rapid research sought to assess the capacity of Caribbean extension and advisory service providers. Seventy extension service providers from 11 Caribbean countries responded to an open-ended questionnaire administered via the Survey Monkey platform. The findings indicated that governments played an important role in providing opportunities such as distribution of seedlings to encourage producers, and promoted backyard gardening and other programmes to ensure continuity of country’s food security. Extension officers faced a number of barriers in the execution of their duties. Some of the barriers included technological barriers, limited resources, and limited mobility as a result of the necessary restrictions and in some cases psychological barriers such as the fear of contracting the disease in the execution of their duties. Officers however utilized strategies such as increased use of ICTs to train farmers and link them to market opportunities. In an attempt to increase the use of ICTs a number of challenges were highlighted. Challenges such as limited ICT resources for officers, poor connectivity in some remote areas, aged farmers literacy levels in the use of ICTs as well as access. This rapid research recommends policy development towards the increased use of e-extension with consultation among key stakeholders. This can be done on a regional basis, and eventually scaled up in an effort to further strengthen extension and advisory services globally.

No abstract

IntroductionEcotourism hotspots in small island developing states (SIDS) are affected by unsustainable practices characterized by a lack of coordination, management inadequacies, and poor enforcement of policies and regulations. Consequently, depletion of natural resources and reduction in ecosystem value occur, with the undermining of the contribution of tourism to SIDS economies. An ecotourism system that ensures sustainable ecological integrity, economic viability, and social awareness is therefore critical in SIDS.MethodsWe developed an influencer ecotourism pathway framework (IPF) using the Aripo ecosystem as a case study of an ecotourism hotspot by focusing on influencers within a SIDS system to improve collaboration toward the common goal of ecosystem sustainability. The framework was created to reflect the ecosystem attributes and services found in Aripo, the influencers that both negatively and positively impact the environment, possible solutions specific to addressing these negative impacts, and the ecotourism goals of the area.Results and discussionThe framework was used to characterize the natural capital of Aripo in relation to the three (3) main ecosystems: forest, savanna, and man-made Aripo village. The influencer ecotourism framework provides a practical model to be applied for sustainable ecotourism management efforts in tropical small island regions as it identifies ecotourism attributes and ecosystem services, linking them to the potential impacts of influencers on the environment. It also provides useful insights to various influencers about their role in sustainable ecotourism that conserves the natural capital of the destination community while improving socioeconomic conditions.

No abstract