Browsing by Author "Spence, J.A."

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    A historical background of the cocoa research unit, University of the West Indies, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
    (1991-08) Spence, J.A.
    The Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA) was established in 1921. Research in Cocoa at ICTA was initiated in 1930. The Colonial Office of the British Government was advised by the Lovat Committee to form a chain of Agricultural Research Stations to serve specific regions in the tropics. The emphasis was to be on long range programmes not usually undertaken by Department of Agriculture establishments. Prof. Cheesman, then Professor of Botany at ICTA prepared a proposal for biological research in cocoa which outlined priority needs for increase in yield and improvement of quality. Cocoa was then Trinidad's largest export crop. Overwhelming support was given to the programme by cocoa planters, government officials and cocoa traders in Trinidad. In 1929 the Colonial Office of the British Government approved the proposal and in 1930 a five-year scheme was launched. This has subsequently evolved into the Cocoa Research Unit (or CRU).