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NRCS Tropical Technology Consortium
Tropical agroecosystems represent important
contributions of food, and fiber products to the American economy. These
production systems are diverse and often easily degraded if not properly
managed. If properly managed, they represent unique production opportunities.
The American affiliated islands in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands Area typify these
agroecosytems, which are approximated by conditions in some southern states.
Given the vulnerability of many tropical
ecosystems, sustainable agricultural production can only be achieved through
effective conservation practices, appropriate technologies and adaptive
knowledge-based resource management. Geographical, socioeconomic and ecological
distances within the tropics and between the tropical and temperate regions
complicate the situation. Practices and technologies for resource conservation
developed in the temperate region are frequently not adapted to the tropics,
such as the soil and crop parameters used in the Revised Universal Soil Loss
Equation (RUSLE).
In addition, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
Institutes and Centers are located in the conterminous United States. Tropical
conditions and technology needs have been peripheral to their mandates and have
seldom been addressed. In order to address these issues, NRCS and land grant
universities in Florida, Guam, Hawaii and Puerto Rico have formed the Tropical
Natural Resources Technology Consortium (TTC).
Last Modified:
01/18/2007 |
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