The intercropping of smallholder coconuts in Western Samoa : an analysis using multi-stage linear programming

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