Agricultural/Economic‌‌Diversification‌‌ 

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The‌‌development‌‌of‌‌alternative‌‌crops‌‌Alternative‌‌crops‌‌were‌‌the‌‌other‌‌crops‌‌in‌‌the‌‌colonies.‌‌The‌‌list‌‌ 
consisted‌‌of‌‌the‌‌other‌‌crops‌‌that‌‌were‌‌grown‌‌in‌‌the‌‌colonies‌‌after‌‌emancipation.‌‌They‌‌were‌‌grown‌‌ 
mainly‌‌by‌‌peasant‌‌farmers.‌‌These‌‌crops‌‌included‌‌limes,‌‌bananas,‌‌rice,‌‌coffee,‌‌cotton,‌‌cocoa,‌‌nutmeg,‌‌ 
and‌‌coconuts.‌‌   ‌
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Introduction‌‌   ‌
Economic/agricultural‌‌diversification‌‌began‌‌even‌‌during‌‌the‌‌slavery‌‌and‌‌sugar‌‌period‌‌because‌‌slaves‌‌ 
grew‌‌other‌‌crops‌‌on‌‌their‌‌plots‌‌on‌‌the‌‌plantations‌‌either‌‌for‌‌their‌‌families‌‌to‌‌consume‌‌or‌‌to‌‌sell‌‌in‌‌the‌‌ 
Sunday‌‌markets.‌‌When‌‌slaves‌‌were‌‌emancipated‌‌in‌‌1838,‌‌the‌‌now‌‌free‌‌men‌‌wanted‌‌to‌‌get‌‌as‌‌far‌‌ 
away‌‌from‌‌the‌‌plantations‌‌for‌‌the‌‌most‌‌part‌‌so‌‌many‌‌of‌‌them‌‌decided‌‌to‌‌become‌‌independent‌‌ 
peasant‌‌farmers‌‌and‌‌cultivate‌‌crops‌‌to‌‌make‌‌a‌‌living.‌‌The‌‌diversification‌‌process‌‌was‌‌further‌‌pushed‌‌ 
by‌‌the‌‌abandonment‌‌of‌‌sugar‌‌cultivation‌‌on‌‌some‌‌estates.‌‌On‌‌such‌‌estates,‌‌some‌‌planters‌‌began‌‌to‌‌ 
focus‌‌on‌‌new‌‌crops‌‌which‌‌required‌‌less‌‌labour.‌‌Some‌‌planters‌‌would‌‌also‌‌sell‌‌or‌‌rent‌‌land‌‌to‌‌peasant‌‌ 
farmers‌‌who‌‌wanted‌‌to‌‌cultivate‌‌other‌‌crops.‌‌Several‌‌features‌‌of‌‌agricultural/economic‌‌ 
diversification‌‌should‌‌be‌‌considered.‌‌   ‌
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Mostly‌‌peasant‌‌farmers‌‌practiced‌‌the‌‌cultivation‌‌of‌‌alternative‌‌crops‌‌The‌‌peasants‌‌had‌‌increased‌‌ 
independence‌‌as‌‌a‌‌result‌‌of‌‌their‌‌cultivation‌‌of‌‌alternative‌‌crops.‌‌They‌‌were‌‌able‌‌to‌‌exist‌‌on‌‌the‌‌ 
earnings‌‌from‌‌the‌‌crops‌‌as‌‌many‌‌were‌‌seasonal‌‌and‌‌as‌‌such‌‌they‌‌were‌‌always‌‌able‌‌to‌‌reap‌‌a‌‌crop.‌‌ 
There‌‌was‌‌a‌‌ready‌‌market‌‌both‌‌locally‌‌and‌‌overseas‌‌for‌‌several‌‌of‌‌the‌‌crops,‌‌such‌‌as‌‌banana,‌‌coffee‌‌ 
and‌‌coconuts.‌‌The‌‌peasants‌‌were‌‌able‌‌to‌‌rely‌‌less‌‌on‌‌estate‌‌work.‌‌This‌‌also‌‌made‌‌them‌‌more‌‌ 
independent.‌‌The‌‌peasants‌‌were‌‌very‌‌instrumental‌‌in‌‌making‌‌crops‌‌such‌‌as‌‌banana‌‌important‌‌ 
exports.‌‌In‌‌colonies‌‌such‌‌as‌‌Jamaica,‌‌bananas‌‌were‌‌able‌‌to‌‌become‌‌chief‌‌revenue‌‌earners,‌‌putting‌‌ 
sugar‌‌into‌‌the‌‌second‌‌place.‌‌The‌‌peasant‌‌activities‌‌in‌‌Trinidad‌‌and‌‌Guyana‌‌also‌‌saw‌‌crops‌‌such‌‌as‌‌ 
rice‌‌becoming‌‌vital‌‌to‌‌the‌‌economies.‌‌The‌‌majority‌‌of‌‌planters‌‌continues‌‌to‌‌cultivate‌‌sugarcane.‌‌ 
Some‌‌planters‌‌in‌‌some‌‌colonies‌‌decided‌‌to‌‌grow‌‌alternative‌‌crops.‌  ‌
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The‌‌planters‌‌recognized‌‌the‌‌profitability‌‌of‌‌the‌‌alternative‌‌crops.‌‌Planters‌‌had‌‌long‌‌looked‌‌at‌‌the‌‌ 
banana‌‌industry‌‌with‌‌distaste.‌‌However,‌‌when‌‌the‌‌United‌‌Fruit‌‌Company‌‌started‌‌its‌‌own‌‌banana‌‌ 
estates,‌‌planters‌‌recognized‌‌the‌‌value‌‌of‌‌the‌‌crop.‌‌Some‌‌planters‌‌even‌‌stopped‌‌planting‌‌sugarcane‌‌ 
in‌‌order‌‌to‌‌plant‌‌banana‌‌and‌‌coconuts.‌‌The‌‌sugar‌‌estates‌‌that‌‌had‌‌been‌‌unprofitable‌‌found‌‌that‌‌this‌ 
was‌‌a‌‌very‌‌good‌‌alternative.‌  ‌
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The‌‌crop‌‌Banana‌‌   ‌
The‌‌crop‌‌was‌‌planted‌‌by‌‌peasants‌‌but‌‌became‌‌important‌‌as‌‌an‌‌export‌‌commodity‌‌in‌‌Jamaica‌‌after‌‌ 
1869‌‌when‌‌the‌‌first‌‌load‌‌of‌‌bananas‌‌was‌‌carried‌‌to‌‌the‌‌U.S.‌‌Many‌‌planters‌‌who‌‌had‌‌abandoned‌‌ 
sugarcane‌‌in‌‌the‌‌1880s‌‌started‌‌to‌‌cultivate‌‌bananas‌‌for‌‌export.‌‌In‌‌1893,‌‌113‌‌estates‌‌cultivated‌‌ 
bananas.‌‌By‌‌1912,‌‌bananas,‌‌oranges‌‌and‌‌grapefruits‌‌made‌‌up‌‌about‌‌56%‌‌of‌‌export‌‌earnings‌‌for‌‌that‌‌ 
year‌‌while‌‌sugar‌‌made‌‌up‌‌only‌‌6%‌‌of‌‌export‌‌earnings.‌‌The‌‌banana‌‌industry‌‌was‌‌greatly‌‌helped‌‌by‌‌the‌‌ 
fact‌‌that‌‌the‌‌United‌‌Fruit‌‌Company‌‌also‌‌had‌‌banana‌‌estates‌‌and‌‌also‌‌bought‌‌the‌‌fruit‌‌from‌‌peasant‌‌ 
producers.‌‌Coffee,‌‌pimento,‌‌ginger,‌‌logwood‌‌These‌‌crops‌‌were‌‌cultivated‌‌in‌‌small‌‌amounts‌‌by‌‌the‌‌ 
peasants‌‌for‌‌exports‌‌in‌‌Jamaica.‌‌Coffee‌‌was‌‌also‌‌cultivated‌‌in‌‌Grenada.‌‌Cotton‌‌Owing‌‌to‌‌the‌‌high‌‌ 
cotton‌‌prices‌‌during‌‌the‌‌American‌‌Civil‌‌War‌‌(1861-65),‌‌cotton‌‌was‌‌grown‌‌again‌‌with‌‌success‌‌in‌‌ 
Tobago,‌‌Grenada,‌‌St‌‌Lucia,‌‌Antigua,‌‌and‌‌Nevis‌‌but‌‌with‌‌the‌‌end‌‌of‌‌the‌‌war‌‌and‌‌the‌‌return‌‌of‌‌low‌‌ 
priced‌‌American‌‌cotton,‌‌production‌‌soon‌‌fell‌‌away‌‌again.‌‌The‌‌cotton‌‌of‌‌St‌‌Vincent‌‌was‌‌of‌‌ 
particularly‌‌good‌‌quality.‌  ‌
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● The‌‌crop‌‌Cocoa‌‌   ‌

Cocoa‌‌was‌‌grown‌‌extensively‌‌in‌‌Trinidad‌‌and‌‌Grenada‌‌and‌‌produced‌‌in‌‌smaller‌‌quantities‌‌in‌‌ 
Jamaica,‌‌St‌‌Lucia‌‌and‌‌Dominica.‌‌In‌‌Grenada,‌‌it‌‌completely‌‌replaced‌‌sugarcane.‌‌Citrus‌‌Citrus‌‌such‌‌as‌‌ 
limes,‌‌grapefruits‌‌and‌‌oranges‌‌replaces‌‌sugarcane‌‌in‌‌Dominica‌‌and‌‌was‌‌encouraged‌‌in‌‌St.‌‌Lucia‌‌and‌‌ 
Montserrat‌‌for‌‌making‌‌lime‌‌juice.‌‌In‌‌Jamaica,‌‌oranges‌‌and‌‌grapefruits‌‌were‌‌cultivated‌‌by‌‌peasants‌‌ 
for‌‌exports‌‌and‌‌up‌‌to‌‌1912,‌‌made‌‌up‌‌over‌‌50%‌‌of‌‌export‌‌earnings‌‌including‌‌banana.‌‌Spices‌‌such‌‌as‌‌ 
nutmeg‌‌Nutmeg‌‌was‌‌planted‌‌extensively‌‌in‌‌Grenada.‌‌The‌‌island‌‌became‌‌known‌‌as‌‌the‌‌‘’Spice‌‌ 
Island.’’‌‌Nutmeg‌‌production‌‌was‌‌however‌‌not‌‌to‌‌reach‌‌the‌‌important‌‌levels‌‌of‌‌production‌‌as‌‌ 
elsewhere‌‌in‌‌the‌‌world.‌  ‌
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● The‌‌Crop‌‌Rice‌‌   ‌

Rice‌‌was‌‌produced‌‌in‌‌large‌‌quantities‌‌in‌‌Guyana‌‌and‌‌to‌‌a‌‌lesser‌‌extent‌‌in‌‌Trinidad‌‌and‌‌Jamaica‌‌by‌‌ 
East‌‌Indian‌‌peasants.‌‌It‌‌was‌‌first‌‌grown‌‌for‌‌domestic‌‌consumption‌‌locally‌‌in‌‌Guyana‌‌but‌‌later‌‌it‌‌was‌‌ 
produced‌‌in‌‌sufficient‌‌quantities‌‌to‌‌support‌‌an‌‌export‌‌market.‌‌In‌‌1889,‌‌Guyana‌‌had‌‌imported‌‌24,000‌‌ 
lbs‌‌of‌‌rice‌‌and‌‌exported‌‌none;‌‌but‌‌in‌‌1913,‌‌only‌‌13,00‌‌lbs‌‌was‌‌imported‌‌and‌‌a‌‌huge‌‌17,000,000‌‌lbs‌‌ 
was‌‌exported.‌‌In‌‌time,‌‌rice‌‌production‌‌became‌‌the‌‌second‌‌largest‌‌agricultural‌‌industry‌‌in‌‌Guyana.‌‌ 
Arrowroot‌‌In‌‌St‌‌Vincent,‌‌arrowroot‌‌replaces‌‌sugarcane‌‌as‌‌the‌‌primary‌‌crop.‌‌Coconut‌‌Grown‌‌in‌‌most‌‌ 
colonies‌‌for‌‌copra‌‌and‌‌oil‌‌making.‌‌In‌‌Trinidad,‌‌the‌‌high‌‌prices‌‌obtained‌‌for‌‌coconuts‌‌between‌‌1918‌‌ 
and‌‌1921‌‌encouraged‌‌coconut‌‌cultivation‌‌to‌‌increase.‌  ‌
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● Growth‌‌of‌‌Forestry‌‌   ‌

In‌‌the‌‌mainland‌‌colonies‌‌of‌‌Guyana‌‌and‌‌Belize,‌‌huge‌‌forests‌‌existed‌‌and‌‌though‌‌a‌‌wide‌‌variety‌‌of‌‌ 
timbers‌‌is‌‌found‌‌in‌‌each‌‌country,‌‌the‌‌green‌‌heart‌‌trees‌‌of‌‌Guyana‌‌and‌‌mahogany‌‌of‌‌Belize‌‌are‌‌world‌‌ 
famous.‌‌For‌‌some‌‌time,‌‌mainly‌‌to‌‌satisfy‌‌war‌‌time‌‌demands,‌‌Trinidad‌‌and‌‌Guyana‌‌experimented‌‌with‌‌ 
rubber‌‌production‌‌but‌‌this‌‌stopped‌‌due‌‌to‌‌competition‌‌from‌‌Asian‌‌countries.‌‌   ‌
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Factors‌‌which‌‌affected‌‌the‌‌survival‌‌of‌‌alternative‌‌crops‌‌   ‌
Positive‌‌factors‌  ‌
 ● The‌‌crops‌‌did‌‌not‌‌require‌‌expensive‌‌machinery‌‌to‌‌grow‌‌and‌‌harvest‌‌unlike‌‌sugarcane.‌‌These‌‌ 
crops‌‌were‌‌ideal‌‌for‌‌peasants‌‌to‌‌develop‌‌since‌‌little‌‌capital‌‌was‌‌required.‌  ‌
● A‌‌large‌‌labour‌‌force‌‌for‌‌cultivation‌‌and‌‌processing‌‌was‌‌also‌‌not‌‌required.‌‌Again‌‌this‌‌factor‌‌ 
encouraged‌‌the‌‌survival‌‌of‌‌these‌‌crops‌‌since‌‌peasants‌‌and‌‌his‌‌family‌‌and‌‌an‌‌extra‌‌hand‌‌or‌‌ 
two‌‌could‌‌cultivate‌‌and‌‌process‌‌the‌‌entire‌‌crop.‌  ‌
● Unlike‌‌sugarcane‌‌production,‌‌large‌‌amounts‌‌of‌‌land‌‌were‌‌not‌‌necessary.‌‌An‌‌acre‌‌or‌‌two‌‌ 
cultivated‌‌any‌‌of‌‌these‌‌crops.‌  ‌
● A‌‌major‌‌disadvantage‌‌of‌‌these‌‌crops‌‌over‌‌sugar‌‌was‌‌that‌‌they‌‌did‌‌not‌‌last‌‌long.‌‌However,‌‌ 
this‌‌was‌‌overcome‌‌because‌‌of‌‌nearness‌‌to‌‌the‌‌market,‌‌mainly‌‌the‌‌U.S.‌‌and‌‌fast‌‌efficient‌‌ 
transport.‌‌Refrigeration‌‌helped‌‌to‌‌keep‌‌the‌‌crop‌‌in‌‌marketable‌‌condition‌‌especially‌‌bananas.‌  ‌
● The‌‌topography‌‌of‌‌the‌‌land‌‌was‌‌also‌‌a‌‌factor‌‌that‌‌determined‌‌the‌‌survival‌‌of‌‌crops‌‌other‌‌than‌‌ 
sugarcane.‌‌In‌‌some‌‌places‌‌sugarcane‌‌could‌‌not‌‌be‌‌cultivated‌‌because‌‌of‌‌the‌‌terrain.‌‌ 
However,‌‌other‌‌crops‌‌could‌‌successfully‌‌be‌‌cultivated‌‌in‌‌mountainous‌‌islands‌‌such‌‌as‌‌ 
Dominica.‌  ‌
● New‌‌departments‌‌of‌‌agriculture‌‌carried‌‌out‌‌research‌‌into‌‌the‌‌new‌‌types‌‌of‌‌crops,‌‌new‌‌ 
methods‌‌of‌‌cultivation,‌‌etc.‌‌Such‌‌departments‌‌were‌‌set‌‌up‌‌in‌‌Trinidad,‌‌Jamaica,‌‌and‌‌ 
Barbados.‌‌   ‌

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Negative‌‌factors‌‌   ‌
(1)‌‌The‌‌main‌‌negative‌‌factor‌‌affecting‌‌the‌‌popularity‌‌and‌‌success‌‌in‌‌sale‌‌in‌‌alternative‌‌crops‌‌was‌‌a ‌‌
push‌‌to‌‌promote‌‌sugarcane‌‌in‌‌the‌‌early‌‌1900s.‌‌At‌‌the‌‌Brussels‌‌Convention‌‌in‌‌1902,‌‌European‌‌ 
countries‌‌decided‌‌to‌‌abolish‌‌subsidies‌‌on‌‌beet‌‌sugar‌‌which‌‌meant‌‌that‌‌it‌‌would‌‌not‌‌be‌‌able‌‌to‌‌ 
compete‌‌with‌‌sugarcane.‌‌This‌‌restored‌‌confidence‌‌in‌‌cane‌‌sugar‌‌which‌‌led‌‌to‌‌an‌‌expansion‌‌of‌‌ 
sugarcane‌‌on‌‌idle‌‌land.‌‌Other‌‌factors‌‌which‌‌pushed‌‌sugar‌‌production‌‌in‌‌the‌‌early‌‌1900s‌‌were‌‌the‌‌ 
adoption‌‌of‌‌the‌‌central‌‌sugar‌‌factory‌‌system,‌‌departments‌‌of‌‌agriculture‌‌began‌‌to‌‌focus‌‌on‌‌finding‌‌ 
new‌‌varieties‌‌of‌‌sugarcane‌‌and‌‌the‌‌outbreak‌‌of‌‌World‌‌War‌‌I‌‌caused‌‌a‌‌reduction‌‌in‌‌beet‌‌sugar‌‌exports‌‌ 
from‌‌Europe.‌‌Therefore,‌‌during‌‌the‌‌first‌‌30‌‌years‌‌of‌‌the‌‌20th‌‌Century‌‌(early‌‌1900s)‌‌it‌‌was‌‌difficult‌‌for‌‌ 
alternative‌‌crops‌‌to‌‌further‌‌establish‌‌themselves‌‌in‌‌the‌‌West‌‌Indian‌‌economy‌‌since‌‌most‌‌attention‌‌ 
was‌‌being‌‌paid‌‌to‌‌reestablishing‌‌sugar.‌‌   ‌
(2)‌‌Natural‌‌disasters‌‌also‌‌discouraged‌‌the‌‌survival‌‌of‌‌alternative‌‌crops.‌‌This‌‌also‌‌affected‌‌sugarcane‌‌ 
but‌‌the‌‌alternative‌‌crops‌‌had‌‌a‌‌less‌‌solid‌‌foundation‌‌and‌‌less‌‌capital‌‌so‌‌the‌‌alternative‌‌crops‌‌would‌‌ 
therefore‌‌be‌‌more‌‌negatively‌‌affected‌‌by‌‌natural‌‌disasters.‌‌   ‌
(3)‌‌Diseases‌‌affected‌‌some‌‌crops.‌  ‌
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Effects‌‌of‌‌the‌‌development‌‌of‌‌alternative‌‌crops‌‌   ‌
Social‌‌effects‌‌   ‌
(1)‌‌Growing‌‌importance‌‌of‌‌the‌‌peasantry.‌‌The‌‌peasant/small‌‌holding‌‌class‌‌grew‌‌in‌‌number‌‌and‌‌ 
importance‌‌because‌‌peasant‌‌farming‌‌became‌‌important‌‌to‌‌many‌‌British‌‌Caribbean‌‌countries.‌‌The‌‌ 
peasant‌‌class‌‌wanted‌‌to‌‌improve‌‌its‌‌living‌‌standards‌‌for‌‌its‌‌children‌‌and‌‌peasant‌‌farming‌‌of‌‌ 
alternative‌‌crops‌‌was‌‌the‌‌way‌‌to‌‌do‌‌so.‌‌(2)‌‌Demand‌‌for‌‌social‌‌services.‌‌Social‌‌services‌‌for‌‌the‌‌ 
majority‌‌of‌‌the‌‌population‌‌was‌‌poor‌‌and‌‌non-existent.‌‌Because‌‌of‌‌greater‌‌profits‌‌brought‌‌in‌‌by‌‌ 
alternative‌‌crops‌‌more‌‌money‌‌could‌‌be‌‌spent‌‌by‌‌the‌‌local‌‌governments‌‌on‌‌social‌‌services.‌  ‌