OASIS OR MIRAGE: THE FARMING OF BLACK PEARL IN THE NORTHERN COOK ISLANDS

Authors

Cluny Macpherson, University of Auckland

Abstract

By the late twentieth century, small island states in the Pacific faced severe problems resulting from the ways in which they had become integrated into the world capitalist economy since the early nineteenth century. Generic environmental, economic, and social problems follow from dependence on the production of a relatively small number of crops for sale in the world economy, out-migration and remittances, and foreign aid. Most states have sought to reduce their dependence and to move toward greater degrees of economic self-sufficiency. In the case of atolls, opportunities for development are typically regarded as minimal because of fragile ecosystems and a shortage of land, fresh water, and local energy. Black-pearl farming is an environmentally sustainable activity that has led to higher incomes and repopulation in the Northern Cook Islands. While it is not the solution for all atolls, its success warrants careful examination.

Recommended Citation

Macpherson, Cluny (2000) "OASIS OR MIRAGE: THE FARMING OF BLACK PEARL IN THE NORTHERN COOK ISLANDS," Pacific Studies Journal: Vol. 23: No. 3, Article 2.
Available at: https://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/pacific-studies-journal/vol23/iss3/2