To enhance the preparedness of Caribbean communities to adapt to the uncertainties of the upcoming dry season and broader climate change technicians, farmers, and other interested community members from rural areas are receiving timely training from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) under the Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) project “Strengthening Coastal and Marine Climate Resilience through Upland and Coastal Ecosystem Based Adaptation and Community Engagement” supported by Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) .
Facilitated by Dr. Chaney St. Martin, and Mrs. Nekelia Gregoire Carai, IICA technical specialists in soil and water, training activities took place from March 6th through March 19th in the communities of Bendals (Antigua), Petite Soufriere and San Sauveur (Dominica), Canaries (Saint Lucia) and Charlotteville (Tobago). National Specialist, IICA Delegation in Antigua and Barbuda, Craig Thomas, remarked, “This workshop gives us in the Caribbean an opportunity to be in a place of greater strength to innovate and adapt to the adverse climatic conditions which the region faces. It also positions IICA as an institution which continues to educate our farmers and technical personnel within the agricultural sector how to not be dependent on one solution but look at several combinations which could alleviate or minimise some of the challenges faced.”
Bernice Fontaine Mourillon, Chairperson of the Petite Soufriere San Sauveur Village Council (PSSSVC) in Dominica, affirms the importance of “knowing more about the soil and the different aspects of how we can manage our soil” in light of the effects of climate change in her community. Community-based organizations play a key role in ensuring the success and sustainability of the project, fostering engagement in the target communities.
During two days of training, participants honed their skills for evaluating the health of soil, water and plants at selected farms, as well as on vulnerable sites where the EbA project’s primary solution, the use of vetiver grass, is being implemented as an ecosystem-based adaptation to enhance soil health, slope stabilization and water control. In the climate risk management component, participants learned the components enhanced their understanding of how climate risks should inform key farming decisions and help determine adaptation measures.
“Learning new ways to preserve what we have, our soil, is the most integral part of farming besides the human factor,” remarked Extension Team Leader, Mrs. Miranda Laurent-Stephenson in Dominica, “it’s not just only about what you apply to the plants, but also how you manage and how you treat your slope, your land space and how you manage your water, and all of that combination of everything, you make sure that you leave a wholesome property for your children and your grandchildren, and the people that coming after us.”
“A lot stayed with me, which I’ll put into good practice in my farming career, such as soil physical tests, pesticide and soil health,” relates Glen St. John, from Canaries, Saint Lucia, who is also a part of the
project’s training in the Vetiver System, and has been involved in vetiver installations at sites across
the island that are vulnerable to soil erosion.
Delanie Louis, small business owner and employee at the local post office in Canaries, Saint Lucia
reflects on the training experience: “I always had a keen interest in agriculture, and being a part of this
program, it will push me one step further to what I really want to become in the future.”
About IICA
IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture in the Inter-American system, with a mission to
encourage, promote and support its 34 Member States in their efforts to achieve agricultural
development and rural well-being through international technical cooperation of excellence.
More information:
EbA Project Management Unit at [email protected]
