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 Basins 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)

• Background
• Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles
• Strategies
• Anticipated Benefits
• Scope and Linkages
• Priority Activities
• Structure, Staffing and Location
• Directory
• TTC Memorandum of Understanding