THE
EDIBLE CAMPUS
By: Geographies
of Food Class 2014
Geographies
of Food Class of 2014
David
Quamina
|
Tonya
Varella
|
Kedisha
Diaz
|
Krystle
Swamber
|
Faheem
Mohammed
|
Ryan
Seemungal
|
Alea
Ali
|
Christopher
Mohip
|
Nichel
Pierre
|
Angelina
Dookeran
|
Barindra
Sawh
|
Morissa
Rodney
|
Keesha
Mahabir
|
Siobhan
Cumming-Lumsden
|
Shalini
Nanan
|
Savita Sooknarine
|
Kevin
Ousman
|
Sayyida Ali
|
Khadija
Stewart
|
Terry-Ann Arjoon
|
Simone
Taviere-Lee
|
Denique Sammy
|
Shaniece
Mitchell
|
Sideek Headlie
|
Karina
Chickoree
|
Anamika Roopnarine
|
Sadiyah Abu Bakr
|
Stephanie Lalla
|
Krishendath
Narinesingh
|
Ananda Ramlochan
|
Dale
Gopaul
|
Kizzy-Ann Pasqual
|
Jerniece
Jones
|
Lisa Tyson
|
Chanel
Glasgow
|
Shannon Walters
|
Kristal
Maharaj
|
Acknowledgements
The class expresses profound
gratitude to our lecturer, Dr. Priya Kissoon for her exemplary guidance,
mentoring and constant encouragement throughout this class publication. Extended thank you goes out to the Geography
Department for this opportunity to research ‘The Edible Campus.’
We also wish to thank the
Campus Deputy Principal, Professor Rhoda Reddock for granting permission to
conduct research on the grounds of the University.
The Ground’s Supervisor, Mr.
Noor Khan must be appreciated for his outstanding work in keeping the campus
landscape, green, beautiful and well-groomed.
Lastly, we thank God for
guiding us and granting health, strength and wisdom to complete this
publication.
Preface
Food is
an all important resource to the university student. The long lines at the many
fast food outlets attest to the fact that these are the food choices students
make and many are unaware that the grounds of the University of the West Indies
are peppered with a plethora of edible plants. They range from common fruits,
like oranges to exotic ones such as jamoon. This project sought to chronicle
these plants and to gain insight into the preferences of UWI students and staff
when it comes to food. It is the hope that the findings of this undertaking
will raise awareness of the many options the campus has to offer and probably
spur a change in eating habits.
Chapter
One
1.1 History of the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA)
According
to Retout (1975), the Post Emancipation period in the Caribbean meant new
developments and challenges for the plantation economies. The West Indian Sugar
Industry was galvanized into applying scientific methods in order to combat
setbacks such as: the abolition of slavery, development of free trade, the
growth of the beet sugar industry and the bounty system in Europe. These
setbacks had serious negative economic effects as it crippled the industry, and
hence science was seen to be the answer to increased production and profit.
This
resulted in the Imperial Department of Agriculture being established in 1838 in
Barbados. Eventually, in 1913, Sir Norman Lamont, owner of Palmiste Estate
proposed that Trinidad could become a desirable, ideal site for a Tropical
Agricultural College.
In
1920, The Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago collaborated in a
meeting, and a motion was passed in favour of a voluntary levy by the planters themselves
or a tax on produce for the year 1921-1922 which was predicted to raise the
required capital sum of fifty thousand pounds to purchase land for an
agricultural college.
The
Government of Trinidad and Tobago made an official offer for an 85 acre site of
the St. Augustine Estate, which allowed Trinidad to more suitably meet the
recommendation of the Tropical Agricultural College Committee.
A
decision was made in on September 2nd 1922 by the committee and Lord
Milner to establish the college in Trinidad, under the terms of a land lease to
the West Indian Agricultural College for 199 years, for a payment of two
thousand pounds and a rent amounting to one shilling per year. The initial
purpose of the College was to give instruction appropriate to residents in the
West Indian islands who were likely to own or manage estates and also, to
provide a tropical training for recruits to various agricultural posts in the
Colonial Empire.
The
first term began on October 16th 1922 with thirteen students as well
as five professors; the next year the name was changed to the Imperial College
of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA).
By
1926, accommodation was offered to students in the new Hostel and Dining Hall
named after the late Viscount Milner who contributed greatly to the founding of
the College. The Dining Hall was subsequently named the Guild Hall. The
institution functioned in its early years as a post for graduate and training
in Tropical Agriculture for graduates from British Universities. Training to
West Indians was only offered on a lower level.
In
the early 1900’s the Estate with the sugar factory and buildings (three
standing at the time) was purchased by court action on behalf of the Crown at a
cost of nine thousand pounds. There were two buildings standing at the time and
these were the St. Augustine House and the cultivation manager’s house. The St.
Augustine House (The Great House) was used by the estate manager, director of
agriculture and succession of principals of ICTA. The structure is still standing today and
though altered, is now the residence of the campus principal. The cultivation
manager’s house was the building that is now currently the Agricultural
Department of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture.
In
the early 1930’s the amount of land leased had raised from 85 acres to 174
acres, this was because of growing popularity of the ICTA. At this time, the
factory and distillery were known for the finest production of rum in Trinidad
called ‘’the spirit of Trinidad”. The College also introduced new programs such
as training of agricultural officers, and extended research in the fields of
cocoa, citrus, coffee, bananas, sugar cane and rubber.
Expansion
occurred also in the early 1940’s as 426 acres of land was obtained at River
Estate Diego Martin and also 300 acres in Valsayn. The site at Valsayn was
planned to be a new farm and experimental station for the college.
In
the year 1960, The Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture became the Faculty
of Agriculture of the University of the West Indies with the aim to fulfil
regional needs. The University which was
the center of independent judgment, criticism and thought, had the
responsibility of conducting research that could impart and acquire knowledge
through scientific development, intellectual leadership and development of
national cultural patterns and traditions.
Between
the period 1949-1960, a number of new facilities and programs were created. In
1950, the Seismic Research Institute was established and in 1955 the Regional
Research Centre was also established at ICTA.
From
the period 1960-1976, many other faculties were created which included; the
Faculty of Natural Sciences at St. Augustine in 1963, as well as the Canada
Hall of residence was also opened at this time. In 1964 saw the establishment
of the Faculty of Arts and General Studies and a diploma in International
Relations could have been obtained from 1966.
Teaching
in medicine was introduced in 1967 at the Port of Spain General Hospital. The
following year saw the establishment of Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute
and Management Studies and Social Science degrees were also introduced in the
year 1969. The Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) and the faculty
of Law were established in 1970. Sir Hugh Wooding was appointed first West
Indian Chancellor in 1971.
A
year following his appointment, a new hall of residence was set up specifically
for women, called The Women’s Hall of Residence, or Trinity Hall. A Diploma called Introduction of the Mass
Communication was established in 1974.
In
1976 Sir Allen Lewis was appointed as the third Chancellor and an autonomous
organization, CARDI (Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute)
succeeded the Regional Research Council (RRC).
1.2 Trees on Campus at the time of ICTA
The
variety and amount of trees on the campus was compiled by ICTA’s Botany
Department in 1958. They generated a document entitled “A Guide to Plants in
the Grounds of the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture” which boasted an
extensive collection of data in two sections:
1. A
Numerical list containing the species arranged in a numerical sequence with
additional information such as the Family, Common Name and Natural
Distribution. This list was also subdivided into location sectors on the
campus.
2. An
Alphabetical List which had the same species tabulated alphabetically by
species name, with further information as to the Number, Habit, Location and
Planting Data.
From
the compilation summarized in the table below, it can be seen that there were
11 major designated areas, all of which contained a large number of species. It
should be noted that some of the species listed within the document included
multiple plants of the same species. Therefore, this also represents the total
number of trees assumed to be within the ICTA borders which reaches about
eighteen hundred (1800).
Area On
Campus
|
Approximate
Number of Species
|
The Orchard and
Hostel Sleeping Quarters
|
137
|
Milner Hostel Area
|
16
|
St. Augustine
Circular Road- Main Gate- Agriculture, Main and Biology Buildings
|
67
|
South of Biology
Building to the Principal’s Residence
|
48
|
Swimming Pool Area-
Old Farm Lands
|
82
|
Biology Building
Garage- Railway Tree- Agostini Street- Rear of Agriculture Building
|
66
|
Botany Land West of
the Sugar Factory
|
878
|
Botany Greenhouse-Plant
Quarantine-Plots 12,19- Pond
|
299
|
Saman Plot (near
Banana Greenhouse)
|
99
|
Cotton Station
Savannas- Warren Street. To St. Johns Road
|
99
|
College Gardens
|
99
|
Table 1: Table showing 11 botany zones of ICTA
Some
of the areas designated can also be seen in this archival map of ICTA below.
Figure 1: Map showing Grounds of ICTA (Taken from Richards et.
al 1958)
Chapter
Two
2.1 Methodology: Discovering the Contemporary Campus
Research
was conducted using both primary and secondary data during the period January
27th to April 17th 2014. This included a collection of
both historical and contemporary data. Secondary sources of data were obtained
from the Imperial Collage of Tropical Agriculture Archives in the Alma Jordan
Library.
Primary
data was gathered in a number of ways and these tasks were conducted
simultaneously during the aforementioned time period. Permission was acquired
from the Campus Deputy
Principal, Professor Rhoda Reddock to conduct this research throughout the
campus. Edible
fruit trees were mapped using a GPS data logger, and their co-ordinates were
obtained to create a map using the ArcGIS software. The
University Campus was divided into five sections where five groups of about five
people each, went out to the designated sections, and mapped all sources of
edible food. This process of gathering this data was done over a period of two
weeks. While GPS locations of edible food sources were being compiled, a group
member photographed the food source.
Another
team devised a questionnaire which sought to find out not only the eating
habits of people on campus but also how many fruit trees people were aware of
and how many people harvested fruits from these trees and their perceptions
towards doing so. A total of three hundred (300) questionnaires were designed,
printed and distributed throughout the campus; from this total approximately
two hundred were completed. Both open and close-ended questions were used to
facilitate both direct questions and questions that required opinions and
reasons for choices. Purposive sampling was used in data collection because of
the knowledge of the population and the purpose of the study. This sample
population consisted of both students and staff (academic and non-academic) on
the campus and was distributed over a period of one week. The places in which
these questionnaires were distributed included the campus halls, food court,
Alma Jordon library, the faculties and some were also distributed via the
internet.
Chapter
Three
3.1 The Modern Campus
The
University of the West Indies Campus has changed drastically in structure, and
now boasts a total of 6 major faculties, around which the campus has modelled
its reconstruction. These faculties are: Engineering, Humanities and Education,
Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and the faculty
of Food and Agriculture.
As
a result of this shift towards broader scope academia, a large amount of
agricultural portions which were so prominent at its conception had to be
cleared to make room for buildings, pathways and other types of infrastructure.
It is estimated from the research conducted that of the initial approximate
1800 species, only a minute fraction of this remains and an even smaller amount
(estimated to be within a range of 30-50 species) are edible.
Despite this, it is noted that there still
exists a respectable array of fruit trees available to students. However, it
can be seen from data analysis conducted (see chapter 4) that a large amount of
the student population simply do not know where the trees on campus are
located. It is through the geolocation and mapping exercise done in this
research that it was possible to produce a food map of UWI St. Augustine which
details not just commercial food shops such as the Food Court, Doubles Vendors
and Yvette’s, but also the different varieties of trees that often go
unnoticed. Some trees are utilized as shade without being noted as a potential
source of food, such as the tamarind and chennett trees (refer to figure
). The map below shows the exact
location on campus that one may find these trees. It should be noted that there
are some constraints to this, such as seasonality as well as boundaries such as
fencing (e.g. The Principal’s Office), or trees being too tall. Beneath this
are photographs 1 to 18, which shows some of the many species of fruit trees
that exist on campus in the different zones.
Figure 2 (below): Map
Showing Food Areas and Fruit Trees at the UWI, St. Augustine Campus
 |
| Photograph 1: Lemon Tree (DCFA Grounds) |
 |
| Photograph 2: Palm Tree |
 |
| Photograph 3: Pommerac Tree |
 |
| Photograph 4: Small Mango Tree |
 |
| Photograph 5: Tanka Bean |
 |
| Photograph 6: Banana Tree |
 |
| Photograph
7: Calabash |
 |
| Photograph 8: Cocoa |
 |
| Photograph 9: Coconut |
 |
| Photograph 10: Large Mango Tree DCFA Grounds |
 |
| Photograph 11: Star Apple Leaves |
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| Photograph 12: Governor Plum |
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| Photograph 13: Hibiscus |
 |
| Photograph 14: Julie Mango |
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| Photograph 15: Mammy Apple |
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| Photograph 16: Noni Plant |
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| Photograph 17: Pommecythere Tree |
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Photograph
18: Pommerac Tree
Chapter
Four
4.1 Eating Habits, Food Choices and Attitudes of People toward Fruit Trees on Campus4.1.1 Eating Habits and Food Choices
The
collected data indicates that most respondents (46 percent) live at home while
only 16 percent live on hall and 12 percent live off campus. However, many
people spend the majority of their day on campus as 30 and 39 percent eat one to
two meals respectively per day on campus. This indicates that many people rely
on their surroundings for a source of food. The following bar graph (figure 3)
illustrates that food is bought from campus on a regular basis because most
respondents (35 percent) purchase food a few times per week. Eighteen percent
of persons actually purchase food a few times per day while only four percent
do not purchase food from on campus.
Figure 3: Bar graph showing Number of Times Food is
bought On Campus
Of
the times that persons buy food, most of them (30 percent) easily spend one
hundred to two hundred dollars per week on buying food to eat on campus.
Taste
(38 percent), followed by cost (20 percent) and health (17 percent) prove to be
the leading reasons why people buy foods they consume as demonstrated in the
figure 4 below.
When
persons were asked to rank the on campus food outlets in order of preference,
subway is ranked number one followed by KFC and Marios, however Power House,
Cynthia’s Creole Food, Jus Juice, Maureen’s and SPEC are the last choices
(refer to figure 5 below).
Figure 5: Table showing On Campus Food Outlets ranked
in order of preferences
It
appears that a large proportion of the respondents however still prefer other
outlets given that figure 6 below shows that 60 percent of people buy their
food off campus, as opposed to 37 percent who buy their food on campus.
Figure 6: Bar graph showing percentage of persons who
purchase food off campus
4.1.2 Perceptions of Healthy Eating
Figure 7: Bar Graph showing Percentage of Health Conscious
persons
According
to the above bar graph, sixty-three percent of persons are health conscious and
thirty-four percent admit that they are not. This may be linked to why most
respondents buy food off campus since fifty-six percent claim that they do not
eat healthy food on campus. The leading reason for this is that persons think
that the campus has few healthy options as highlighted in figure 8 below.
Figure 8: Bar graph showing reasons for persons not
eating healthy on campus
It
also appears that people are generally unaware of the healthy food options
available on campus as the majority (80 percent) is only aware of Subway, Veg
Out and UWI Nectars as seen in the bar graph (figure 9) below.
Figure 9: Bar graph showing persons awareness of
healthy food outlets on campus
The
high price of healthy foods seems to be the major obstacle to purchasing it as
28 percent of respondents choose this as their main reason. Twenty-five percent
of persons think space and place is the main obstacle.
4.1.3 Awareness and Perceptions of Campus Fruit Trees
Figure 10: Table showing
people's awareness of Campus trees and whether they eat the fruits or not
The
above table indicates that people are generally aware of the popular fruit
trees on campus and some persons do pick and eat the fruits that are easy to
eat such as mangoes, plums and bananas. A great percentage however, also
observes the trees but do not pick the fruits. Among those who pick the fruits,
their main reasons are that they think it is healthy and cheap as seen in the
pie chart below.
Figure 11: Pie Chart showing people's reasons for
picking Campus fruits
Among
those who do not pick the fruit however, the majority (31 percent) state the
main reason for not picking is that they think they do not have permission. Respondents
however, generally feel more comfortable eating the fruit if it is
pre-harvested as 61 percent indicated that they would as opposed to 39 percent
who would not. The main reasons as shown in figure 12 below for eating
pre-harvested fruit are that it is healthy (17 percent), cheaper (17 percent)
and easy (12 percent).
Of
the 39 percent who indicated that they will not eat the pre-harvested fruit,
the majority (68 percent) gave the cost as the main reason anticipating that
the price may be too high.
Data
Trends
The
above data indicates a culture of purchasing food as opposed to preparing home
cooked meals and bringing them to school. Most people think that these foods
taste better and rank Subway and KFC respectively as their first two choices on
campus. For many, going off campus to purchase food is quite a popular option as
many people are both unaware of all the healthy on campus options and so
perceive it to be limited. Many respondents are also unaware of the abundance
of fruit trees on campus as they only know and pick the most popular ones that
are easy to eat. The majority of persons will eat the fruits however if they
are pre-harvested mainly because it is healthy, cheap and easy but some people
still have reservations because they think the pre-harvested fruit will be
expensive to buy.
Conclusion
The
historical basis for the University of the West Indies has been one firmly set
in agriculture. From its conception as the Imperial College of Tropical
Agriculture in 1922, the transition to a now current pillar of learning has
certainly distilled the agricultural roots and may have lost some of the
meaning and importance of agricultural trees as not just food, but as a way of
life. It is through this publication that we hope to open the eyes of campus
personnel, students, staff and visitors, into seeing that the campus, while no
longer as entrained in agriculture, certainly has a major amount of resources
still at its disposal. From the data, we have seen just how much the amount and
number of edible options on campus has diminished. Therefore, it is also hoped
that by encouraging the more frequent consumption of trees and the knowledge of
where these trees are, it also encourages students to put forward proposals and
initiatives which will one day return the campus to a veritable wealthy source
of agricultural produce. This in itself will have major beneficial implications
for both the campus and the wider society as a whole. Persons within the campus
can rely on the resources as a source of nutrition, as we have seen that there
may be a lack of healthy options and obstacles such as price and convenience.
Finally, through the education and increased appreciation of students, who are
considered the future of the country, we may see a shift in the way agriculture
is perceived by the wider society and maybe make steps towards increased food
security within Trinidad and the wider Caribbean.
Reference
List
·
Rétout, Marie Thérèse.
1975. A Light Rising From the West. Port-of-Spain:
Imprint Caribbean.
·
Richards, P.T., B.A. Jones & A.L.T.
Walker. 1958. A Guide to Plants on the
Grounds of the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture. St. Augustine:
Botany Dept., I.C.T.A.
Bibliography
·
Imperial College of Tropical
Agriculture. 1951. Imperial College of
Tropical Agriculture: a silver jubilee, 1951. London: ICTA.
·
Pemberton, Rita A. 1996. “The evolution
of agricultural policy in Trinidad and Tobago 1890-1945.” PhD diss., University
of the West Indies, St Augustine.
·
Simmonds, N.W. 1945-55. ICTA miscellany: a miscellany from Christmas
parties and the like, 1945-1955. St. Augustine, ICTA.
·
Sly, J.M.A. & A.J. Pritchard. 2003. Colonial Office Probationers Agriculture:
Cambridge 1953-54 & Trinidad 1954-. Surrey: East Horsley.
·
University of the West Indies, St
Augustine. 1990. St. Augustine Campus
Development Plan, 1990-2000 A.D. St. Augustine: UWI.
Appendix
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