Most of the nutmeg workers are women. The project will identify gender sensitive variables which will be monitored during project implementation.
The agroforesty component will help the nutmeg farmers to bring more lands into production, in particular those lands which were devastated by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
Notable Community Participation
The project was develoeped after the nutmeg workers participated in a study on occupational health and safety. The study revealed that there was a high incidence of respiratory illnesses among factory workers.
Capacity - Building Component
The project will train the nutmeg workers in occupational health and safety and empower them to take charge of their health and lobby for better conditions.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
This will be minimal early during project implementation but will become more important as project implementation proceeds.
Project Results
PROJECT RESULTS
OUTPUTS
Environmental
? A total of 40 acres of land, experiencing land degradation through loss of top soil and vegetation, land slippage or a combination of both were replanted with over 1700 nutmeg trees, 1500 citrus, banana and cinnamon trees.
Social
? Partnerships built with the following entities:
o St. Georges University, Grenada (SGU)
o Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association (GCNA)
o the local Ministry of Agriculture
o the local Ministry of Agriculture, Grenville Extension Office
o the U.S. Centre for Disease Control & National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (CDC/NIOSH)
Economic
? 18 persons were temporarily hired to undertake the tree planting activity. They were paid at a rate of US $3.70 per tree planted. A total of 1650 trees were planted and collectively they earned wages totalling US $6?111.
Innovation
? The grantee has sought to introduce renewable energy technology into the Nutmeg Industry in Grenada through the development of a Solar Dehydrator. Preliminary results concluded that nutmeg dehydration utilizing a solar collector dehydrator is safe. Nutmeg industry employees are only involved in filling and empting the device hence they are not exposed to the pulmonary risks associated with the traditional drying method. The quality of nutmeg produced using solar technology was identical to that produced using the conventional method.
Capacity Development
? 60 persons (45 males & 15 females) all employees of the Gouyave Nutmeg Process Plant, trained in Occupational Health & Safety as it relates to the Nutmeg Industry. The trainees are now knowledgeable about the importance of health and safety in the workplace and the hazards associated with nutmeg processing and the resulting health issues. They are also now knowledgeable about precautionary measures to reduce hazard and prevent accident and injuries in the workplace.
? 8 SGU students (3 males and 5 females) trained in Data collection & Management and Ethical Issues associated with patient medical records.
? 11 WINDREF members (5 male & 6 females) trained in data collection.
? 2 local nurse practitioners (1male/1 female) trained in Spirometry.
? 1 local physician trained in Allergy Skin Prick Test Application.
OUTCOMES
Too early to be determined
IMPACT OR CONTRIBUTION TO IMPACT
Too early to be determined
GENDER
Participation / Decision making
? The projects principal investigator is female
? 17 male farmers participated in the land degradation activity by planting trees
? 22 male nutmeg workers at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant participated in a health screening for several occupational health problems, contributing to the evaluation of occupational health exposure risks associated with the nutmeg plant.
? 15 male nutmeg workers at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant participated in workforce development training in the form of occupational health and safety training.
? 5 male members of WINDREF participated in capacity building training and contributed to data collection for the project.
? 1 female farmer participated in the land degradation activity by planting trees.
? 64 female nutmeg workers at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant participated in a health screening for several occupational health problems, contributing to the evaluation of occupational health exposure risks associated with the nutmeg plant.
? 45 female nutmeg workers at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant participated in workforce development training in the form of occupational health and safety training.
? 6 female members of WINDREF participated in capacity building training and contributed to data collection for the project.
Benefits
? 17 male farmers benefited from the land degradation project activity, by receiving trees at no expense to them and a stipend for participation (US $3.70 per tree planted , a total of US $ 5926 earned collectively)
? 22 male nutmeg workers at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant were screened for several occupational health problems and benefited by receiving free health screening.
? 15 male nutmeg workers at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant received workforce development in the form of Occupational health and safety training and are now knowledgeable about risk factors of occupational health and safety.
? 5 male members of WINDREF participated in capacity building training and benefited by increasing their technical expertise in data collection and increased the capacity of the organization for future research data collection activities.
? 1 female farmer benefited from the land degradation part of the project, by receiving trees at no expense and a stipend for participation (US $3.70 per tree planted, a total of US $ 185 earned collectively).
? 64 female nutmeg workers at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant were screened for several occupational health problems and benefited by receiving free health screening.
? 45 female nutmeg workers at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant received workforce development in the form of occupational health and safety training and are now knowledgeable about the risk factors of occupational health and safety.
? 6 females members of WINDREF participated in capacity building training and benefited by increasing their technical expertise in data collection and increased the capacity of the department for future research data collection activities
Challenges
? Thus far the project has not encountered any challenges specific to men or women.
PROJECT CHALLENGES
? The initial site identified for installing the solar dehydrator at the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Plant was deemed unsuitable by a consultant engineer and an alternate site had to be identified. The new site required preparation for installation of the dehydrator and this resulted in a delay of this activity. Preparation of the new site was not budgeted for in the original project budget, however Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association (GCNA) agreed to undertake this task as part of their in-kind contribution to the project. Due to the delay, the grantee has also incurred unexpected storage fees for the dehydrator.
