The Greening of Yap: The Transformative Reemergence of Subsistence Agriculture and Its Impact on Rural Community Development in Yap, FSM

Ames, Todd T. (2012). "The Greening of Yap: The Transformative Reemergence of Subsistence Agriculture and Its Impact on Rural Community Development in Yap, FSM". Pacific Asia Inquiry. Mangilao, GU: University of Guam. 3 (1): 76–86. ISSN 2154-5985 .

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Abstract: In the state of Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), subsistence agricultural, foraging and fishing activities have been practiced historically and they continue to play an important role in local people’s economic activities. In the last decade there has been growing interest and activity in raising crops that were historically grown for subsistence purposes for local consumption and sales. While traditional crops historically were grown only for subsistence and tribute gifts there is increasing demand and interest in growing them for income generation. Previous work conducted by Ames and Ames in 2007 on Yap, indicated that while many Yapese continue to grow crops for subsistence activities, many are now growing and selling them to augment family incomes. There is, however, a lack of research in Yap, which links the importance of small-scale agricultural and agro-forestry resources to traditional sustainable economic activities and rural community development. This paper combines sociological and economic impact assessments and extensive stakeholder inputs with a cultural geographic analyses of these small-scale agricultural and agro-forestry resources, and addresses how they reemerged as critical subsistence activities in Yap while they have simultaneously been transformed into wage generating activities and their role in sustaining small informal community economies