SEED Career Profile: Elroy Wilson
Elroy Wilson is an Msc Marketing and Agribusiness student from the University of West Indies (UWI). In January, Elroy arrived as visiting researcher to the University of Waterloo.
He will be working under the guidance of Professor Olaf Weber on his research entitled: Prioritization of problems facing Cocoa farmers in Trinidad and Tobago. We recently sat down with Elroy who shared his research experiences and aspirations.
What inspired you to pursue your postgraduate research in Marketing and Agribusiness?
Bananas and cocoa are the two major exports in the Caribbean. These two products have opposite production periods, which allow farmers to produce cocoa in the off-season of banana production. During my undergraduate degree, I pursued research in the value chain of the banana industry in St. Vincent using Porter’s Five Forces. After my graduation, I wanted to ensure that I had knowledge of the entire agricultural sector. The cocoa industry seemed like the next logical step for research considering its large influence on the Trinidad and Tobago economy.
The cocoa industry contributes a great amount to the Trinidad and Tobago economy by providing employment and development for rural households. The island is recognized as one of the top producers of cocoa, and receives premium pricing on the international market. However, due to pests and disease, there have been higher costs of production and there has been reductions in labour supply. Through my research, I hope to prioritize the major constraints that prevail in the cocoa industry that are contributing to the continuous decline of production in Trinidad and Tobago.
Why did you choose the University of Waterloo and how did you find out about us?
The theoretical framework of my work is based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model, which is a multi-criterion decision making tool to prioritize problems. Data from the AHP model will be used in my research to determine problems within the cocoa industry, and I will be able to rank these problems in their order of importance to farmers. At this time, my university lacks the expertise in AHP, so my academic advisor- Dr. Patterson-Andrews and I have worked together to learn the current model. Since the University of Waterloo has prior knowledge using the theoretical framework, I have been able to gain the knowledge and skills that I plan to take back to the University of West Indies.
What other avenues of research do you think are worth pursuing in this area of study?
I want my research to be applicable to the industry, so I encourage others to do the same. After my research is complete, I will be able to identify the major problems facing the cocoa industry and list them in their order of importance. Although they are the most important issues, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are cost effective for farmers. The next step in this research would be to add the cost/benefit analysis of the major constraints in the cocoa industry. A cost/benefit analysis will identify realistic and cost effective solutions to these problems.
What advice can you give to our SEED students who are considering pursing a Master’s degree?
On average, I probably spend about 5-6 hours a day gathering information for my research topic. That being said, I spend a lot of time thinking about recommendations and new avenues of research outside of those hours. If a student is considering a Masters, I encourage them to find a topic that they are passionate about. Research isn’t a burden if the topic gives you an opportunity to make a difference and help society. Before attending UWI, I worked in the Grenadines Banana industry as a Banana Development Officer. I was inspired to start my research because I saw problems first hand and knew changes needed to be made.
Elroy, we hope you have a pleasant stay at the University of Waterloo and we wish you all the best in your research pursuits!
Want to learn more about Elroy's research? Get in touch with Elroy Wilson.