Turks and Caicos Islands

and Caicos Islands are limited, and there are presently no commercial cottage industries on any of the
islands.
Fishing is a significant activity in the Turks and Caicos Islands (see Section 4.5) and catches are dominated
by lobster and queen conch, both of which are processed and exported to the United States. Groupers and
snappers are utilised for local consumption; and the fishing infrastructure is organized and equipped with
cold storage facilities and processing plants.
4.3.4. Women and Youth in TCI Agriculture
The Turks and Caicos Islands Social Indicators Report (DEPS, 2008b) indicates that up until 2006 there were
only 152 people directly employed in agriculture, accounting for a mere 0.84% of the total working
population. Since these figures were not disaggregated by gender or age groups, it is difficult to form a
demographic profile for the farmer population in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
4.3.5. Climate Change Related Issues and Agricultural Vulnerability in the Turks
& Caicos Islands
Although agriculture constitutes a minor industry in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the sector exhibits a high
vulnerability to the existing climate, and is especially susceptible to extreme weather events. An ECLAC
(2008) disaster assessment found that the passage of Tropical Storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike within days
of each other in 2008 caused almost complete devastation to vegetable, fruit and root crops in Turks and
Caicos. Tree crops including coconuts, sapodillas, sugar apples, avocadoes and mangoes, were also severely
damaged by hurricane winds. Commercial fishers lost trap boats, traps, and sustained structural damage to
three processing plants which hindered fishing activities following the hurricane and led to spoilage of
some stock.
4.3.6. Vulnerability Enhancing Factors: Agriculture, Land Use and Soil
Degradation in the Turks & Caicos Islands
The main vulnerability enhancing factor for land use and soil degradation in the Turks and Caicos Islands
pertains to inequitable and uncontrolled land use practices. The increasing number of tourist resort
infrastructure and unprecedented development in the form of numerous luxury homes hinders prospects
for building a sustainable agriculture sector. A press release from the British Foreign ad Commonwealth
Office (2010), referring to the Turks and Caicos Islands Commission of Inquiry Report (2009), identified the
need for implementation of a new crown land policy to address some of the related issues such as
improper land use, sale of land to non-nationals for residential and commercial development, and
inconsistent record keeping.
4.3.7. Social Vulnerability of Agricultural Communities in the Turks & Caicos
Islands
The Turks & Caicos Islands Investment Agency (2004) distinctly identifies North Caicos as the potential
bread basket of the islands. In terms of agricultural communities, the settlements of Bottle Creek, Whitby,
Sandy Point and Kew have been named although the island profiles suggest that presently there is
significantly less farming activity now than before. The social vulnerability of agriculture in the Turks and
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