Project Detail

Adapting Food Security to Climate Change in Jalacte

Jalacte, as a village bordering Guatemala, has been greatly impacted with deforestation for agriculture, supporting the informal cross border trade. One must pass the Belize Agriculture Health Authority and Immigration checkpoint to travel from this village to the rest of Belize by road, indicating the remoteness of the village and its proximity to the border. Food security is a major concern in the village with some 45% of children being malnourished and is exacerbated by the almost complete deforestation of the area, following the Guatemalan example. This project is thus focused on women, men and youth empowerment with a strong food security element, and it will introduce the concept of agro-ecology to reduce the intense land degradation by planting fruit trees, starting the process of reforesting a riparian buffer, and planting annual crops including a school gardening program. As there is no rudimentary water system in the village for drinking or other purposes, the project includes agricultural water systems.

This project will promote equity, sustainability and resilience to Climate Change with regards to food security. The goals of the project include demonstration to the community of Jalacte about:
1. Climate smart alternatives in agriculture that also provide food for school children and enhance livelihoods
2. Agro-forestry and reforestation techniques and riparian protection that also enhance livelihood
3. Resource use and reuse
4. Gender equity and roles in a changing world

Plenty Belize will serve as the intermediary partner with the village of Jalacte to access funding from GEF Small Grants Programme. The project is requesting a grant of $100,000 from GEF SGP and offers $108,750 in counterpart funding: $30,870 from Plenty Belize, $60,480 from the school and village of Jalacte, and $17,400 from other partners. The project falls under the Climate Change GEF Focal Area.

Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Plenty International (Belize) Limited

Country:

Belize

Area Of Work:

CapDev
Climate Change Mitigation
Land Degradation

Operational Phase:

OP6 -Y4 (Jul 18 - Jun 19)

Grant Amount:

US$ 50,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 3,075.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 53,303.05

Project Number:

BZE/SGP/OP6/Y4/CORE/CC/2018/07

Start Date:

10/2018

End Date:

2/2021

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Gender Focus

All activities of the project will target men and women in an equitable manner. As a traditional Maya village, life in Jalacte can be difficult for women. In this project, equal opportunities exist for men and for women to increase their capacity and to benefit from agriculture. The Jalacte women?s group will be specifically targeted, and will maintain and operate one of the three covered structures, along with the riparian agro-forestry plot. Three workshops on gender and women?s issues are part of the project. This project was initiated by members of the PTA, and the community. A meeting was held with stakeholders on 5 June to further gather their insights and concerns in the project concepts and design. There is great support of this proposal by the community members. A project steering committee that includes community stakeholders will oversee the project monthly. The project seeks to build sustainability by enhancing livelihoods and increasing food security. Villagers will naturally be supportive of better opportunities for livelihoods and increased nutrition for their children.

Replication of project activities

Based on the favorable outcomes in relation to the project, there is now great potential for other remote villages in Toledo to apply this same system in their communities. Villagers in bordering communities can be shown the impact of climate change in their area; hence the need for alternative sources of income using climate smart agricultural practices. The Jalacte group should be advised to document the activities, experiences and lessons of this project to share with community groups in other villages in the area. Consultation can also be carried out within the communities (men, women and youth) to educate, share experiences and consult in order to get full participation within the communities especially as it relates to the sustainable use of the biodiversity and climate change adaptation systems of agriculture.

Project sustainability

Environmental Sustainability: This project demonstrated a variety of climate friendly agriculture techniques. Tropical covered structures allowed for control of the water in the agriculture system, while limiting insect and other pests with mechanical barriers. This system allowed for increased food production with decreased chemical inputs, thus increasing environmental sustainability. The agro-forestry areas have provided short, mid, and long-term crops, while helping to maintain the soil and riparian zone of the local river. Educating the youth and villagers on these techniques has helped to sustain these environmentally friendly practices and is likely to do so well into the future. Social Sustainability: Majority of the villagers in Jalacte now have increased capacity to understand climate change issues which should now empower community members to plan to deal with climate change impacts. The women?s group in the village plays a major role in agriculture in this project, enhancing gender equity in village agriculture and income producing work. Economic Sustainability: The agricultural activities in this project has produced significant amounts of food, and a percentage (25%) of this will continue to be sold to sustain the infrastructure, as well as obtain seeds for the next crop cycle. An additional percentage will continue to be used as incentives for the workers, with the balance being used to help feed the school children of the village.

Capacity - Building Component

The mission of Plenty Belize is ?Working together for the sustainable development of the people, communities, and environment of the Toledo District?. Plenty Belize has developed experience and lessons working with villages in Toledo to provide basic utilities and services. For 12 years Plenty Belize worked with the primary schools of Toledo, assisting them as they set up school garden programs. Plenty Belize partnered with the village of Santa Teresa as that village set up their own solar power board and provided power to every home in the village and is currently doing similar with the village of Santa Elena. Plenty Belize has installed solar energy systems in several remote rural schools and health posts, homes, and community facilities.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The project will install a prominent sign in Jalacte at a highly visible site on the school campus. An inaugural ceremony will be held. Dignitaries from Department of Rural Development and Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, NGOs, and the press will be invited to learn about the efforts of Jalacte in climate smart agro forestry. The local TV station, PGTV, will be invited to do a report on the project in Jalacte for its programming. Other schools will be invited to visit the model agro-ecological demonstration at the school and the riparian zone established.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

This project grew out of meetings held by the school and village who later brought in Plenty Belize to assist as the project ideas were more strongly formulated, thus the communication in the village and school are already strong. The school leadership plays a key role in phone and electronic communication. This project will have an advisory board in the village, along with the project steering committee, which will help with communications and valuable input to project implementation. A final inaugural event will be held to further communicate the successes and lessons learned from the project to the village and key stakeholders outside the village, allowing for replication of the results, and use of lessons

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

This project is being implemented in an indigenous community. Local language, culture, and norms were considered.

Notable Community Participation

This project is focused on the women, men and youths from Jalacte village are involved in the building of three covered agricultural structures to produce food. Youths are also involved in the upkeeping of the covered structures and maintenance. Growing of vegetables as a learning experience.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

This project will be conducting the following alternative livelihoods activities: - This project will utilize 3 covered gardening structures, one donated by Ministry of Agriculture to the school, and two from the project. One of the structures will be used and maintained by the women and older youth of the village, the other two structures will be used by the school children with support from Parent Teachers Association (PTA). The school children and PTA will also have outdoor school garden in the fenced in area surrounding the covered structures. - This project will introduce chicken tractors to use the chickens to help carry out agricultural functions including fertilization, weed seed removal, and pest control. To support this a chicken coop of local chickens will be maintained. - Home garden contest to help bring the messages home. Top male and top female student gardens will win scholarships to high school. - Agro-forestry for fruit production on a plot of land at the school, with chickens inside the fenced area for fertilization, pest and weed control. This will be maintained by school youth and PTA. - Riparian area will begin being reforested using plants that give short, medium and long-term value to the community as well as providing watershed protection in the 60-foot riparian zone along the creek/river. The Women, men, and older youth of the community will maintain this area free from garbage. - Sustainable water sources will be used by installing Solar powered water pumping from the river, rainwater collection, greywater re-use from kitchen, and irrigation - Material resources will be re-used through paper making from the waste paper from the school to produce cards, poster boards, etc. Composting of organic matter will also allow for re-use of these resources in the agriculture programs. Vermiculture will be introduced in the school gardening. - 3 Gender Issues workshops will be held to highlight issues regarding gender roles, and to provide support and capacity building to the women?s group in the village. The women and youth will also benefit from workshops on agriculture, climate change, and business issues. - Women and youth will be integrated throughout the project with prominent and equitable roles.

Project Results

A thorough review of the progress reports revealed the following (note that this information was corroborated by the Project Coordinator and other participants who partook in the interviews):

Objective 1: Results:
- All 3 covered structures in place, and two of the three producing food for harvest already.
- The MoA funded structure was in place first and used by the school children on regular basis. Food has been harvested.
- The women?s group was actively preparing, maintaining, and using the covered structure that they were responsible for. Food has already been harvested.
- The third covered structure has seen some efforts by the school children. Development is
ongoing.

It was agreed to do two separate contests. Information was shared with school principal on criteria used in previous home garden contests for judging. The principal reports that at least 10 students have active home gardens.

Objective 2 Results:

- The area has been fenced for the fruit tree agroforestry to be planted when dry is over.
- Riparian area will begin being reforested using plants that give short, medium and long-term value to the community.

Objective 3: Results:

- Solar water pumping is installed and functional for irrigation purposes. Irrigation is being done in covered structures. Tank stand at lower school for rainwater collection is completed.
- Materials were purchased to begin building composting area near end of this reporting period.

That aspect of the project was completed.

Objective #4: Results:

- Four (4) workshops were held · 2 agriculture workshops; · 1 women?s group workshop; · 1 business registration support for women?s group.
- Women and Youth involved · Design of project has important role for women?s group; · Women?s group formed to fulfill that role, and has registered with Companies Registry Office with assistance from project;
- Youth are regularly involved through the school.

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