Earth Today | EFJ supports solutions to beat the drought

THE SUMMER so far has been unusually hot, with farmers in several parishes suffering from drought conditions as crops wither in the fields, a situation that could be more common with climate change.

It is given the reality of a changing climate, which threatens, among other things, extreme weather events, including hurricanes and droughts, that the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) has, since 2016, funded several climate-smart agricultural projects under the Special Climate Change Adaptation Fund.

Four climate-resilient cropping systems and agro-processing projects have now been completed from the EFJ's Call for Proposals in 2016. The number of climate-smart agriculture projects funded has jumped from nine in 2016 to 18 in 2017, with the training of participants an important element for sustainability in all the projects.

CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE

Climate-smart agriculture is a different way of looking at farming, using a range of techniques and methods that increase productivity and boost incomes, while at the same time conserving precious water, soil and energy resources.

The long-term goal is to adapt and enable farmers to bounce back from the effects of climate change. Where possible, climate-smart techniques should also reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions, for example, through the use of renewable energy.

Red peas (or kidney beans) are a crop that can withstand high temperatures. With EFJ's grant funding of J$4.96 million, the Central Jamaica Social Development Initiative (CJSDI) in Clarendon has successfully completed its Agro-Processing for Sustainable Economic Development Project, which consisted of the expansion of a red peas processing plant.

The project included training and employment in the production of red peas, including pest management, crop production and entrepreneurship. Tools and equipment were procured and five acres of land cleared and prepared for planting. The packing house was refurbished and a solar water system established with eight solar panels to irrigate the land.

"In general, the EFJ is very pleased with the implementation of the projects under the climate-smart agriculture thematic area," said EFJ executive director Barrington Lewis.

"Specifically, from the projects completed, we are delighted to see that one of our grant beneficiaries, CJSDI, has been able to penetrate the local market with some of their produce. We look forward to the impact the others will have on the sector," he added.

PARTNERSHIP

Damion Young of CJSDI is enthusiastic about the group's partnership with EFJ.

"We have seen a significant increase in employment. We now have about 35 people employed, youth and adults. We have a network of farmers engaged in planting red peas and also peanuts, and several people work at the processing plant in Spaldings," he said.

With additional EFJ funding, the group's shade house project in Osborne Store is now producing Scotch bonnet and sweet peppers.

According to Young, "water is a challenge", but rainwater harvesting is employed and there are plans to establish a catchment facility - an earthen pond - for irrigation.

Fifty community and civil-society organisations are currently implementing projects to boost climate change adaptation in Jamaica after being awarded grants totaling J$228 million in October, 2017 by the EFJ in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.