Historically, agriculture played a major role in the development of the Virgin Islands' economy. As the islands emerged as a major tourist destination in the Caribbean, urbanization encroached on agricultural land. As a result, food prices increased significantly. In an effort to assist families in supplementing the high cost of imported food, the UVI Extension Service's Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Programme introduced a gardening programme to these changing rural communities. The gardening programme is geared to assist residents of low-income communities, elderly residents, youth groups, and residents with limited financial resources and land. With this new approach to agriculture, people also learn unity and community pride and discover that they can make a difference in their surrounding environment.