Prof. David Barker

Head of Department

david.barker@uwimona.edu.jm

Current Research

The general theme of my research is the role of traditional indigenous knowledge and decision-making among small farmers in Jamaica , in relation to sustainable agriculture, rural livelihoods, and the management of natural resources. Some of the research topics which fall into this theme include a long-term project on yam farming and yam sticks in southern Trelawny, in collaboration with Dr Clinton Beckford ( University of Windsor ). More recent work with a graduate student examines the impacts of hurricanes and drought on small farmers in southern St Elizabeth and its implications for food security. This work is partly in collaboration with Dr Duncan McGregor (Royal Holloway, University of London ). Other projects with graduate students include the linkages between tourism and agriculture in Negril and Fair Trade bananas in St. Lucia . Past work has focused hillside farming and land degradation in Jamaica .

Selected Publications

Books

• Potter, R. B., Barker, D., Conway, D. & T. Klak (2004) Contemporary Caribbean , Pearson Education/Prentice Hall, 497p
• McGregor, D.F.M., Barker, D. & S. Lloyd Evans (eds) (1998) Resource Sustainability and Caribbean Development: Geographical Perspectives. The Press, UWI, 408p.
• Barker, D., Newby, C. & M. Morrissey (eds) (1998) Caribbean Geography: A Reader , Ian Randle Publishers, Kingston , Jamaica , 195p.
• Barker, D. & D.F.M. McGregor (eds) (1995) Environment and Development in the Caribbean : Geographical Perspectives , The Press, UWI, 344p.
• Barker, D. & D.F.M. McGregor (Eds) (1995) Environment and Development in the Caribbean : Geographical Perspectives , The Press, UWI, 344p.
• Morrissey, M. & D. Barker (1991) A Sense of Place #1: Introducing Caribbean Geography , Oxford : Oxford University Press, 122p. Sales of book to date = 45,000

Chapters in books

• Miller, L. A. & D. Barker (2007) ‘Land Policy in Jamaica in the decade after Agenda 21', in Besson, J. & J. Momsen (eds) Caribbean Land and Development Revisited , London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp119-132  
• Barker, D. (2006)‘Field Surveys and Inventories', chapter in Doing Development Research , Vandana Desai & R.B. Potter (eds), SAGE Publications Ltd., London, pp130-143.
• Barker, D. & C. Beckford (2003) ‘Yam production and the yam stick trade in Jamaica : integrated problems for planning and resource management', in Barker, D. & D.F.M. McGregor (Eds) Resources, Planning and Environmental Management in a Changing Caribbean , UWI Press: Kingston , pp57-74.

Papers in journals

• C. Beckford & D. Barker (2007) ‘The role and value of local knowledge in Jamaican agriculture: adaptation and change in small-scale farming', Geographical Journal , 173(2), pp118-128.
• Barker, D. C. Beckford (2006) ‘Plastic yam and plastic yam sticks – perspectives on indigenous technical knowledge among Jamaican farmers', Tidjscrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie [TESG} , 97(5), pp535-546.
• C.L. Beckford & D. Barker (2003) ‘Finding Sustainable ways of staking yams and sourcing yam sticks in Jamaica : an environmental imperative', Caribbean Geography , 13(2), pp145-155.
• Barker, D. (2000) ‘A brief history of geographical times = , Area , 32(4), pp437-439.

Courses

• GG10A/GEOG1101: Introduction to Human Geography
• GG21B/GEOG2102: Geography and Development
• GG31C/GEOG3103: Tropical Agricultural Systems and Development
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Graduate Students

• Kevon Rhiney: 'Globalization, Agriculture and Tourism in Jamaica', Fieldwork funded through grant from Graduate Studies. (PhD).
• Chanelle Fingal: Fair Trade Bananas in St Lucia. (co-supervised with David Dodman)
• Donovan Campbell: "Domestic food production and hazard vulnerability in Jamaica: adaption and change in southern St Elizabeth".

Professional Society Memberships

• Journal Editor - Caribbean Geography
• President - Jamaican Geographical Society