Strugglin', but No Slavin': Agriculture, Education, and Rural Young Vincentians (St. Vincent, Caribbean)

Abstract

Strugglin', but no Slavin' is an inductive, ethnographic study of young people on the island of St. Vincent and their relationship to agriculture. After summarizing the past and present agricultural and educational situations in St. Vincent, the study analyzes the perceived motivations and constraints for involvement in agricultural work by young Vincentians. It then portrays these young Vincentians, describing the socioeconomic characteristics that delineate not only their different modes of participation in land cultivation, but also their dreams and aspirations. Finally, it generates hypotheses for further investigation and for possible use by rural development planners.

Living for nearly a year in a rural community, the researcher obtained her data primarily through participant observation and in-depth, multi-session interviews with 30 young adults. Short interviews were also conducted with 30 men and women who worked land, with 25 young adults who worked in Kingstown, the capital, and with personnel in 24 agricultural or educational organizations and agencies. Analysis of the interviews, daily journals, documents, and secondary sources highlights the complexity of the interaction among agriculture, education, the structure of Vincentian society, and its international position.