Project Detail

Eliminating the Use of Toxic Chemicals while enabling People with Disabilities to Contribute to Food Security in Saint Lucia through Aquaponics Technology.

The disabled in society are usually discriminated against and there is a close correlation between disability and poverty. This planning grant will assist the grantee in designing and implementing a viable aquaponics production and teaching facility. It will be designed for ease of access and maintenance by the beneficiaries. By the end of this planning design phase, SGP expects to receive a Full Grant Project Proposal with designs, along with a break-even analysis for the project.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities Inc.

Country:

Saint Lucia

Area Of Work:

Land Degradation
Chemicals

Operational Phase:

OP7 - Y1 (Jul 20-Jun 21)

Grant Amount:

US$ 3,948.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 185.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 435.00

Project Number:

STL/SGP/OP7/Y1/CORE/CH/2021/05

Start Date:

6/2021

End Date:

9/2021

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Capacity - Building Component

Aquaponics technology is new to the group and as a result a consultant will be hired to design and implement a programme of teaching, learning, and evaluating. The goal is to ensure that the group is thoroughly introduced to the theory and science of aquaponics before entering the Full Grant phase when the practical aspects will be learned.

Policy Influence

At this point in the project development cycle, we do not expect there to be any influenec on policy. Probabilities of impact on policy will increase at the Full Grant stage.

Project sustainability

At this the PG phase, we have ensured that the grantee undertakes research and exposes members to as many examples of aquaponics in the field, to understand the good models and the lessons learned. The PG also ensured that the grantee purchased the latest scientific books and manuals for increasing and improving their knowledge; and finally, the entire system was subjected to a financial and cost/benefit analyses to determine the break-even point. All of these activities contribute to project sustainability.

Gender Focus

Criteria will be identified to ensure that both men and women have an equitable chance of participating and benefitting.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Not Applicable.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

Not appliacable at this stage. However, the need for an effective filing systems will be emphasised and made a requirement.

Policy Impact

Not applicable at this stage in the project cycle.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Not applicable at this stage.

Replication of project activities

One of the best documented project with a very high level of transparency. One of the objectives is to use this facility as an outdoor teaching system.

Planning non gef grant

Ther are no plans at this time.

Linkages gef projects

Therre are none at this stage.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

This Planning Grant will assist in determining the correct scale for generating sustainable production and income. Outputs will include various forms of organic vegetables and when possibly fish for the market.

Notable Community Participation

This project targets the disabled who are willing to develop a skill and create an income stream. Capable persons of all ages, including the youth are potential beneficiaries.

Planning gef grant

To be determined in the near future.

Project Results

This Planning Grant began a process with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, to help them create a modern aquaponics facility, which is simultaneously a production and a teaching system.

The grantee implemented several activities during the PG implementation phase, which could be easily categorised as CAPACITY BULDING. The grantee began by acquiring books on the subject:
(i) one copy of the Aquaponic Design Plans: Everything You Need to Know from Backyard to Profitable Business; (ii) 4 copies of the Aquaponics For Beginners: How to Build your own Aquaponic Garden that will Grow Organic Vegetables; (iii) 2 copies of Aquaponics: 4 EASY AND AFFORDABLE WAYS TO BUILD YOUR OWN AQUAPONIC SYSTEM; (iv) 1 copy of the Aquaponic Farmer: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BUILDING AND OPERATING A COMMERCIAL AQUAPONICS SYSTEM; and (iv) 3 copies of Aquaponic Gardening: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE to RAISING VEGETABLES and FISH TOGETHER. Members used these books to inform themselves and learn more about aquaponics.

In addition to these activities, the grantee organised 7 visits to the project sites and field trips to both private and government aquaponics systems around Saint Lucia. There the owners and managers of the sites were able to share with them the lessons learned from their experiences. On these trips the grantee noted that all the systems visited had no access for persons with wheelchairs. They also noted that rainwater harvesting systems and solar systems should be included to substantially reduce the carbon footprint of the system and the cost of operations. Finally, the grantee also learned the difference between the Deep Water Culture (DWC) and the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) types of aquaponics.

Additional capacity development activities included the participation of ten (10) members in one major training workshop and interactions with the consultants working on the technical design and the business plan. These sessions helped the grantee to focus on the financial and economic costs and benefits of the project.

During project implementation, two (2) consultants ( 1 man and 1 woman) were employed and paid a total of US$ 2800 (US$1550 ? man and US$1250 ? woman).

This PG met its objectives and built the base for the next stage in the planning process for the implementation of a Full Grant.

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