Climate probe
Auditor general placing spotlight on Government’s environment, agriculture portfolios
Published:Friday | April 5, 2024 | 12:09 AMEdmond Campbell/Senior Staff Reporter
The Pamela Monroe Ellis-led Auditor General’s Department has placed climate-change related projects and the effectiveness of the country’s spending in that area under the microscope.
A performance audit is now in progress with focus on the environment and climate-change portfolios of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC).
The auditor general has also turned the spotlight on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).
Under the theme ‘Project Management, Governance, and Resource Management’, the first audit will seek to determine whether the Government is on track for the implementation of climate change adaptation actions and plans.
Highlighting the new audit being conducted, the Auditor General’s Department (AuGD) said the effectiveness of climate-related spending and appropriate utilisation of the resources are important for taxpayers and international relations.
As part of its performance audit, the AuGD will also examine select climate-change projects funded by the Government and multilateral agencies to determine whether key outputs were efficiently and effectively delivered.
The AuGD said its evaluation will take into account whether the input of key stakeholders was considered in the planning and implementation of priority actions and the extent to which there was efficient coordination and collaboration with other ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), and local communities, including the vulnerable.
The AuGD said its audit of Jamaica’s progress towards the implementation of climate-adaptation plans and actions supports Goal 4 and National Outcomes 13 and 14 of Vision 2030 Jamaica - National Development Plan. Vision 2030 recognises the importance of addressing climate-related challenges and integrating sustainable practices into the country’s development targets.
The performance audit is scheduled for publication between July and September this year.
The AuGD pointed out that the Climate Change Division of the MEGJC, which was established in 2012, has the broad mandate of coordinating the country’s response to climate change locally, regionally, and internationally.
The division also has the responsibility of ensuring that systems, institutions, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are in place to address climate change as an exclusive development priority that empowers local communities and strengthens resilience, especially the most vulnerable populations.
At the same time, the AuGD is also conducting a joint performance and special audit of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining (MoAFM) and the RADA.
The department said the objective of this audit is to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Ministry of Agriculture’s administration of its programmes or projects, including the implementation of activities at RADA.
It said the audit seeks to provide Parliament an assurance that the ministry will be effective in successfully delivering the programme/project deliverables to farmers.
The scheduled publication of the Ministry of Agriculture and RADA’s performance and special audit is between October and December 2024.
The auditor general pointed out that Vision 2030 Jamaica - National Development Plan recognises the importance of agriculture in developing internationally competitive industry structures based on its average annual contribution of eight per cent to gross domestic product (GDP), employment, rural livelihoods, environmental sustainability, and food security.
The agricultural sector, which is a primary earner of foreign exchange, comprises a diverse mix of large- and small-scale farming, with more than 230,000 registered farmers and more than 200,000 workers, 60 per cent of whom reside in rural areas.
Consistent with a drive by the Government of Jamaica to increase the country’s agricultural productivity, the auditor general said that various initiatives have been introduced to boost agriculture production to ensure food security, increase income generation, foreign exchange earnings, and promote rural development.
Among the major initiatives are the Soil Fertility Mapping Project and the Production Incentive to Farmers Programme. The objective of the Soil Fertility Mapping Project is to increase productivity, improve the quality of agricultural output, optimise farmers’ profits, and enhance farming efficiency while maintaining good environmental stewardship through an integrated soil-management system.
The Production Incentive to Farmers Programme aims at supporting agricultural production through provision of incentives for small farmers and other investors in the production of strategically selected crops and livestock.
In this regard, the availability of updated soil information is critical to determine the soil characteristics for decision making regarding crop type and the necessary farm inputs for increased output and productivity.