CBA Jamaica: Glengoffe Climate Change Adaptation
Introduction
Glengoffe, Jamaica, covers twenty square miles of hilly terrain in Northeast St. Catherine, consisting of fourteen small communities with a total of about 5,000 residents. While much of the population is engaged in part-time agricultural activities, there are about 300 full time farmers who depend solely on the land for their livelihoods. As a result of unfavorable climate events and unsustainable land management practices, the community is beginning to see negative impacts on agricultural production.
This Community-Based Adaptation project seeks to alleviate the damage to local agriculture and infrastructure resulting from climate change effects. It aims to reduce the risks of landslides and flooding from heavy precipitation, as well as the adverse impacts of extreme drought. The project was developed through a participatory process involving the various community stakeholders. Through training and access to equipment, Glengoffe communities will transform their hillside fields into organized and well-drained contoured land and terraces, plant buffer zones to protect the terrain, and implement alternative techniques that reduce crop loss from unseasonable heat.
* This project is part of Jamaica's Community-Based Adaptation portfolio. *
Project details
The poor farming practices of small hillside farmers in Glengoffe, Jamaica, have had negative impacts on the environment due to the techniques employed and the fragility of the soil. Climate change is expected to exacerbate these damages to crops and ecosystems, and a projected increase in rainfall levels and drought are expected to bring about further onslaughts to the physical structures such as roads, bridges, power lines houses, and farm structures.
This Community-Based Adaptation project is designed to combat these challenges by increasing ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change. This will be achieved through activities that raise climate change awareness amongst Glengoffe residents, as well as enlist them in on-the-ground activities that reduce vulnerability. These activities include the reforestation of deforested slopes and in public spaces, erection of drip irrigation system to mitigate effects of drought, and contoured farming and terracing. Specific training and project works will also include tissue culture techniques; fruit tree planting; vegetative barriers; minimum tillage; cover cropping; log barriers; storm drainage; irrigation systems; and composting.
There is expected to be a significant reduction in crops and income losses due to climate change-related impacts. It will also empower farmers and the wider community by heightening their awareness and capacity to manage the local natural resources in light of climate variability.
- Community
- Non-Governmental Organizations
Farmers; Vulnerable Glengoffe Residents
- Glengoffe Community Development Committee Benevolent Society (GCDC)
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Key results and output
Outcome 1: Farmer and community capacity-building
Increase awareness of climate change by training residents in 14 districts (Output 1.1). Train 100 farmers in drought mitigation techniques and soil fertility (Output 1.2) and financial management (Output 1.3). Hold two Vulnerability Risk Assessment workshops (Output 1.4).
Outcome 2: Land Restoration
Plant 50 acres of land with 8,000 trees (Output 2.1).
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Monitoring & evaluation
Glengoffe Community Development Committee Benevolent Society (GCDCBS) will establish a monitoring committee with representatives from all the collaborative agencies to oversee the smooth operation of the project. A project manager will be hired to manage the project and to provide detail and timely report to the committee and United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS). The committee will meet on a by-monthly basis to tract and review all the project activities, gather feedback, ensure project objectives are met and make recommendation where necessary.
Representatives from these allied agencies along with project manager will continue to make periodic visits to the sites to assess progress while providing field service and demonstration. Proper and accurate recording will be kept to tract all the activities of the farmers associated with the project. This data will be used in the evaluation to assess the project impact – environmental, societal and economically.
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Contacts
- Glengoffe CDCRoosevelt LawrencePresident
- UNDPCBA Project Management Unit