St. Vincent seeks scientific expertise to deal with problems associated with its main agricultural products, especially bananas. The computer industry in the US and Europe has opened up a new demand for paper; with proper processing, arrowroot might be able to compete in this new market, but so far the technology is lacking. Experimentation on arrowroot waste as a source of biogas has also been undertaken. A National Council for Science and Technology was created late in 1981. St. Vincent also has an Appropriate Technology Center, established in 1982.