Project Detail

Improving Climate Resilience for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Disaster Risk Reduction in Mocho

Based on data from the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Clarendon has been one of the parishes mostly affected by the impacts of climate change as it relates to drought. The Mocho community, comprising of three (3) districts (Dawkins, Cedar and Whitney) and a population of over 2,000 residents, has for many years been faced with water problems which has led to several other social and economic problems. This community has no piped water its only sources are rainwater harvesting and purchasing of trucked water. These problems have been further exacerbated due to more severe impacts of climate change in a community where persons have limited resources for adaptation thus becoming more vulnerable, increase population which subsequently increases the demand for water among others. This problem also threatens food security, health and sanitation resulting in degradable lands, diseases, food shortages, which ultimately increase the cost of basic essential and social amenities to the community.
The Mocho Mountain Range provides valuable environmental services, including the watershed area of Pindar River which delivers underground and surface water. The largely agricultural dependent population is greatly affected, as many citizens invest in animal husbandry and farming for their main source of livelihoods. According to the Social Development Commission?s (SDC) profile, the Dawkins and Cedar Districts, based on property assessments are two of the communities highlighting water scarcity as one of their major community issues. Within the area are three health centres, one police station, one market and seven postal agencies. The Dawkins District hosts the only High School in the Mocho area ? the Lennon High School ? the proposed project site. The school receives students from the over 23 basic and primary schools within the three (3) districts.
The school is located in Cedar community with a school population of over 1,100 students, with females dominating the school population with a ratio of 55:45 percent. Lennon High has been producing meats and vegetables on its teaching farm. To support its school feeding programme at reduced cost to students, the school is involved in faming of several vegetation, animal and chicken rearing. The school and other social amenities within the neighbouring community are plagued by the severe impacts of drought. Access to sustainable water sources will change the lives of many who must depend on this scarce resource. The school?s Agriculture Department utilises up to 4,000 gallons of water or almost two truckloads each week. An estimated J$20,000 per truck load is spent when the existing tank storage (20,000 gal water which utilises a diesel pump) is completely utilised. With all these activities the school is further burdened with high electricity costs.
Currently, the rate of water supply in the community is 40 percent which is significantly low when compared to the national rate of 70 percent. Therefore, this project seeks to focus on improving climate resilience for sustainable management of natural resources, through water harvesting, food security and improve agricultural practices in Mocho.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PARISH DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES

Country:

Jamaica

Area Of Work:

Climate Change Mitigation
Climate Change Mitigation

Operational Phase:

OP5 – Y4 (Jul 14 – Jun 15)

Grant Amount:

US$ 150,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 212,614.50

Project Number:

JAM/SGP/OP5/Y4/CORE/CC/14/02

Start Date:

12/2014

End Date:

11/2017

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Policy Influence

? The project is replication of the Construction of Water Harvesting Infrastructure and improving the Community?s Adaptive Capacity to Natural Hazards Project, which influenced the preparation of the rainwater harvesting policy and the local authority?s thrust to rehabilitate rural water systems across the parish. ? The project also influenced the creation of strategic objectives in the Clarendon Local Sustainable Development Plan which speak to promotion of rainwater harvesting as a supplementary soure of water and energy effiency and conservation as well as encouraging youth to participate in agriculture through training. The project supported Government?s: ? National School Gardening Programme ? serving as demonstration and teaching plots that also support the school feeding programme ? Rural Water Policy and draft Rural Water Supply Development Strategy ? Jamaica?s National Energy Policy ? Goal 1 -Energy Conservation Efficiency

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

As part of the project activities the water catchment (barbeque) area at the Lennon High School will be repaired to increase efficiency in operations at the institution; by providing sufficient access to safe drinking water; increased access to water for sanitation and waste disposal and reduction in the pollution of water resources harming biodiversity. This activity will reduce the problem of water scarcity by providing a sustainable solution through water harvesting techniques. A 40,000 gal water tank will be constructed to support existing system, which should result in increased water storage to support the essential social services to the community. A 10X10 cold storage unit will be built to reduce post-harvest loss. The installation of this unit should reduce the school?s food bill and increase productivity level by providing storage for extra crops. The school's animal husbandry department which consists of seven (7) chicken houses, a piggery area and an abattoir will be biggest benefactor with the construction of a 750 gal tank bio-digester to include training in maintenance of the unit.

Notable Community Participation

One of the key partners of the project is the Lennon High School community; they are part of the project management committee which has responsibility for the day-to-day coordination of the project. Youth involvement in this project will come from the involvement of students of agriculture of in the day-to-day activities of the animal husbandry, farming, crop and financial management. From the wider community youths with the requisite skillsets will be involved in the construction of the catchment areas and training will be provided under the project on use of new technologies introduced under the project activities.

Capacity - Building Component

The Mocho community (Dawkins, Cedar and Whitney) with a population of over 2,000 residents has for many years been faced with a lack of piped water. Rainwater harvesting and purchasing of trucked water are its only source, the later being very expensive. The Lennon High School ? the proposed project site - has a population of over 1,100 students and has been been producing meats and vegetables on its teaching farm to support its school feeding programme. Access to a sustainable water sources will change the lives of many who must depend on this scarce resource. The project seeks to repair the water catchment (barbeque) area at the Lennon High School, construction of a 40,000 gal water tank to support existing system, install a 10X10 cold storage unit to reduce post-harvest loss and construct a 750 gal tank bio-digester to include training in maintenance of the unit.

Project sustainability

The community will be involved from the project?s inception supported by the relevant agencies. Capacity building initiatives will be implemented. The Clarendon Parish Council, which is the local authority for approving development in the parish, will be engaged from inception to ensure buy ? in and targeted results achieved. All relevant agencies (ODPEM, SRC, SDC and RADA) will be engaged to provide support to the project and ensure sustainability. The economic projection of increased production in crop vegetation will be an incentive for continued success of this project. The benefit to livelihood by this project will encourage community members to ensure the security and safety of all assets installed. The community has put in place the following: Establish a maintenance plan for tank and pump ? Establish a roster to maintain tank ? Strengthen partnership with the Clarendon Municpal Corporation to train person in chlorination and keeping of the tank ? Keeping the catchment area clean ? Maintain roster to clean and service the refrideration unit ? Maintain the solar panels The Lennon High School will continue to seek relevant partnerships i.e. donors, private, government. NAPDEC, CPDCBS and the community members are committed to support the School.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The community will bring awareness of the project by first erecting the project sign. During and after project implementation the GEF/SGP will be acknowledged on all promotional materials. Critical to the communication strategy is the education/awareness officer whose will have the responsibility of engaging with the communities, ensure local and national visibility for the project and the donors through press releases, workshops. community workdays, education fairs, PTA meeting and social media feeds. The project team will ensure project reports are prepared and will share their experiences with other projects teams that are seeking to implement a similar project in their community.

Replication of project activities

The model was shared and replicated under the Japan Caribbean Climate Change Programme (JCCP) in the Communities of Victoria and Richmond Park and the Human Security Trust Fund Project targeting communities in Kingston and Clarendon. An estimated 6 communities participate with a total of 9,000 beneficiaries.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The project team will closely monitor and document project results at regular intervals. Reports will be prepared and shared via social media, e-mails and quarterly news letters and during community meetings reports of project progress will be shared with the communities of Cedar, Dawkins and Whitley. The participation of their key partners will help to educate communities on policies.

Gender Focus

The project team will work tirelessly to ensure the participation of women and men in project activities. Persons will be asked to select the preferred area of interest to ensure full in all activities additionally efforts will be made to schedule project activities and to distribute work in a equitable manner.

Planning gef grant

There are no plans to scale up to a medium-sized GEF grant

Planning non gef grant

UN Trust Fund for Human Security programme targeting Nothern Clarendon which will focus on enhanced human security focusing on improving water security which will see the upscaling of some components of this project.

Project Results

Rehabilitation of the water catchment facility and construction of the storage tanks which collect a total of 42,000 gallons of water. The activity was completed in April 2016. A solar pumping sytem was also installed to elimnating enery cost enabling proper management of the water resource. School and community participants both men and woman were enagaged in the implementation of the activities and were rotated regularly to ensure that as many stakeholders as possible benefited from the project. During the period a brochure was developed titled Use and Care of Water Catchment Area. Maintenance of the tank is being undertaken by the school the their property management system with support from Clarendon Municipal Corporation.

Installation of Solar PV Grid 10kw Interactive System was started completed in September 2017. Training in the use and care of the system was completed on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, a training manual was handed over to the school?s property management team. 8 adults from the property management and agricultural science department along with 4 students took part in the training. System is currently in use. Net billing application to the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology is still be processed, ownership of the land has been identified as an issue as the land is vested in the National Land Agency. This means that NLA will have grant permission for the net billing exercise, a statutory decalartion form will have to completed and submitted for processing

Training and workshop sessions were held (as listed below) focusing on increased awareness on environmental health targeted the Mocho Citizen?s Association, the farmers group, and the school community. These sessions outlined and reinforced the important role of stakeholders in fostering the sustainable management of natural resources, land degradation, impact of drought on the community and reducing the impact, adaptation and mitigation strategies for Climate Change to ehance the safety and quality of life of stakeholders in and around the school community The school indicated that this project will improve their resilience in managing their natural resources in a sustainable way. The increased water storage capacity will allow them to meet the needs of over 1000 students. The community members indicated that the project will also increase water supply to the community and usage when school is not in session. The exposure of the school and community members to benefits of water resource and land management coupled with renewable energy has improved the partnership with agencies such as CMI, RADA and SDC. This has opened the possibilities for a multiplier effect for more sustained environmental practises given the parish wide reach of the school population and the potentials being realised from the value added and economic investments and returns at the school in a healthy environment.

On November 06, over 145, [93 females, 52 male, 125 youths] individuals were trained in the Use and Care of the Catchment Area and Rainwater Harvesting ?Dos and Don?ts?. Students and teachers at the Lennon High School, were given educational materials such as brochures, small group breakout sessions were held by facilitators to acquire students views on their role and responsibility in preserving the environment. A Use and Care of the Catchment Area brochure was developed

A two day Land Preparation Technique Training was held, on the first day participants learnt the theory in Sustainable Agricultural Practices and on the 2nd day participants were engaged in practical demonstrations. 53 persons were on register, 28 males and 25 females, further aggregated to 22 agricultural science students and 31 persons from the famer?s association. A Sustainable Agriculture, Land Preparation and Management Technique Training Manual and brochure were developed.

A Disaster Risk Management Workshop was held; nineteen persons participated in the workshop. Eight (8) members from the Mocho Community , three (3) members of the Pleasant Valley Community, one (1) member from RADA, two (2) Clarendon Parish Development Committee, one (1) Social Development Commission ,one (1) Clarendon Parish Council , one (1)NAPDEC and three (3) workshop presenters. A Disaster Risk Management, Evacuation Plan forum was held in which community member?s capacity was developed in evacuation procedures. Twenty-four (24) persons were on register (16 female and 8 males). Community members were identified to form the Mocho Disaster Risk Management Committee. A Mocho Proper Disaster Risk Management Plan was developed.

A meeting with the Clarendon Fire Department to review of schools evacuation plan. A plan with clear recommendation was given to the school to the person in charge of food safety in School. The Installation of a 1 Solar PV Grid 10kw Interactive System ( Change of Scope) was started completed in September 2017 and training in the use and care of the system was completed on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, a training manual was handed over to the school?s property management team. 8 adults from the property management and agricultural science department along with 4 students took part in the training.

Improving Environmental Health Conference
An Improving Environmental Health Conference was held on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at the Lennon High School, fifty ?six people (16 males and 40 females) including men women and students were on register. Student created dub, poem, and song on the topic ?Environmental Health?

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Indicators

Biophysical

Number of innovations or new technologies developed / applied 2

Biophysical

Hectares of land sustainably managed by project 1

Biophysical

Number of innovations or new technologies developed / applied 2

Livehood

Number of households who have benefited* from SGP project 1500

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