The diverse cropping systems of traditional farmers allow for greater diversity of local produce on the market . Diverse cropping systems allow for cost effective approaches for integrated pest management systems . Yield stability and insurance effect are benefits of crop diversification since the farmer could rely on other crops if one fails. Sustainable agriculture systems can be effectively tied to agro-ecological models for farmers, especially those producing non-traditional crops, and expanded to export markets.Although conventional agriculture has improved food production globally,incurrence of high economic and environmental costs due to heavy dependencies on off-farm inputs and use of specific crop varieties or hybrids that have been bred specifically to exploit high input conditions have been observed .Therefore, improving the availability of local produce can reduce the importation of similar products as well as contribute to exportation of non-traditional crops that may also be considered exotic, stackable planters derived from agro-ecological and traditional cultivation.

In a report for improving world food security, the FAO  advised that the agricultural sector could contribute to substantial improvements in GDP,employment and tax revenue if well managed . Here, as a first step, we have performed an agro-ecological assessment of production of non-traditional crops and livestock in a highly impoverished region, North-East Trinidad. This region historically was not part of the traditional agricultural areas under cultivation. The United Nations Development Programme /Central Statistical Office  Trinidad & Tobago ranked Sangre Grande and its environs, the third lowest in the country with respect to human development. In regards to dimensions of health, education and income this region was also ranked among the lowest . This study is the first of its kind to survey non-traditional crops in an area of agro-ecological significance with the potential to be a source of income for the region and if expanded,nation as a whole. Field research was coordinated and conducted by students of the Biosciences,Agriculture and Food Science department at the University of Trinidad and Tobago.The team contacted and surveyed 639 farmers and householders in the North East Region of Trinidad , over a twelve week period between June to August of 2016 .

Sample size was determined by both the willingness and availability of all farmers within the study area to participate and the accessibility of the individual farms to the surveyors. Surveys were conducted in person and all data was collated and later analyzed using basic statistical software packages. The north-eastern region of Trinidad surveyed in this study  presents an excellent snapshot of rural, agro-ecological production that can be utilized to bolster sustainable agricultural system in this area. The areas included Tamana,Kernaham, Plum Mitan, Fishing Pond, Cumuto and Manzanilla which are included in the Sangre Grande region. The 2011 Population and Housing Census calculated the population of Sangre Grande and its environs at 5.7% of the national population vertical grow rack. The region is the second least densely populated area of Trinidad and Tobago, significantly lower than the national average of ~259 persons per square kilometre . The area for the study was selected due to the highly impoverished, low-income society with under utilised available agricultural land, where the community consist of farmland with agro-ecological potential for non-traditional export crops.

According to the Central Statistics Office as of 2016, only 3.35% of the Sangre Grande municipality has a registered business in operation,depicting a need for economic expansion .The produce from these areas surveyed in this study are derived from cultivated crops, fruits from forest trees and livestock. Most of their farming practices limit the use of heavy pesticides or antibiotics as feed promoters. Table1 describes the general statistics gathered on the farmers of North-East Trinidad.The majority of farmers belong to commercial households while the rest belong to non-commercial households . We also found that most of the commercial farmers own 1 – 10 acres of land for agriculture while the majority of non-commercial farmers had a farm size of less than 1 acre. Further, 67% of the commercial farmers produced vegetable crops as compared to non-commercial farmers who produced 43%.