Project Detail

Securing a Reliable Water Supply in the Community of Jacob's Ladder, while Improving the Members' Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change Impacts

The primary target population will be the resident population of approximately 500 residents of the Jacob's Ladder facility (present and planned) comprising of persons with disabilities, homeless, elderly and youth. The secondary population is the wider subsistence farming community located nearby. Most of the area has no running water, electricity or proper road network. The lack of infrastructure in the area has resulted in very low levels of employment and livelihoods. Activities under the project will address several of these areas and include the resuscitation of a well and establishment of rainwater harvesting infrastructure to secure a reliable water supply. The project will also include the demonstration of better farming practices for farmers within the community to build awareness of the increased levels of production and livelihoods that can be gained from employing sustainable farming practices.

Project Snapshot

Grantee:

MUSTARD SEED COMMUNITIES

Country:

Jamaica

Area Of Work:

Community Based Adaptation
Land Degradation

Operational Phase:

Phase 5

Grant Amount:

US$ 50,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 60,000.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 90,000.00

Project Number:

JAM/SIDS-CBA/15/06

Start Date:

10/2015

End Date:

11/2017

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Communication with the community to receive their formal inputs and to provide project updates (successes, challenges, work plans etc.) will be maintained throughout the project in order to harness their full participation throughout the project and also to enhance their ownership of the project outcomes. To this extent, community meetings, flyers and community notices would be used as the main communication strategy to promote Public Awareness.

Gender Focus

Farming and agriculture is predominantly viewed as a man's activity in this community. In an effort to impact that perspective, more women would be encouraged to attend the training sessions.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Most of the area has no running water, electricity or proper road network. This places the livelihoods of farmers at the low end of the economic ladder; and due to the lack of infrastructure and basic services, the area is largely underdeveloped so employment opportunities are few. Mustard Seed Communities is providing employment for some members of the community and this project will generate even more employment. The area consists of mined out bauxite land that was previously thought of to be only suitable for grazing (cattle). The project will demonstrate that with better farming practices the land can be far more productive and improve the prospects of farming families.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Not Applicable

Project sustainability

On completion of the project, Jacob's Ladder now has a reliable water supply pulling water from four (4) catchment areas that is being used to irrigate the land. With a consistent supply of water MSC is able to adequately supply the needs of its resident, water crops and cattle and has been selling to the wider community to boost it income stream. Adequate water supply also ensures greater yields from its cash crops and animal husbandry which ensures consistent supply to its customers resulting in greater income.

Planning non gef grant

The community has received additional funds from private sector organizations amounting to approximately USD50,000.00 which has allowed them to build additional housing infrastructure. Within the 5 year plan for the community is the objective to create a water farm for expansion of its storage capacity to include additional meters and twelve (12) 1,000 gallon tanks.

Notable Community Participation

The main outcome of this project is to increase the availability of water supply at Jacob?s ladder by developing more rainwater harvesting facilities onsite and importing water from outside the community to supplement existing catchments. The primary target population will be the resident population of approximately 500 (present and planned) comprising of persons with disabilities, homeless, elderly and youths.

Capacity - Building Component

The majority of the farmers in the community farm on a small scale and as such lack proper farming techniques. Participation in training workshops and working on the MSC activities will increase the capacity of farmers to address climate change issues in their home environment as they will be made aware of sustainable practices in agricultural production techniques, land management and water harvesting. This new knowledge will give them a stronger voice in negotiating with government agencies to replicate the MSC model in other areas of the community.

Replication of project activities

The project activities may be replicated in communities with severe water shortages and the story of Jacob's Ladder will be shared through fact sheets and photostory.

Policy Influence

The project did not influence policy however the 5 year plan for the community seeks to impact changes in policy as it relates to person living with disabilities and the environmental management of waste. GEF/SGP has committed to being a facilitator/participant in these discussion with the government.

Policy Impact

There are no immediate or direct plans to produce Policy Impact.

Planning gef grant

There are plans to scale up to a strategic project with focus on income generation through the establishment of a water bottling plant. This will provide employment for the residents of Jacobs Ladder.

Project Results

Project Achievements:

Key Achievements
Ten (10 )x 1,000 gallons black storage water tanks purchased and installed
Completely refurbished a system for extracting water from one of three JBM wells and channeled to an existing 750 000 gallon capacity earth ponds on Jacob?s Ladder
An expanded agroforestry system (with the types and number of trees to be determined) that also includes drought resistant species. Fifty (50) acres have now been planted which provides produce for our residents; along with the orchard and other sustainable farming practices land degradation has been reduced significantly.

Increased residential population to 95 (from 35) with another 64 residents to be welcomed to the facility.

Through partnerships (NWC, JBM, Tankweld Metals and community volunteers) an existing water lines were refurbished to move water from wells owned by Jamaica Bauxite Mining Company, to collection facilities at Jacob?s Ladder. The facility now has adequate supplies for its residential and agricultural needs are is able to supply the surrounding communities (at a cost) through the National Water Commission (NWC) for its distribution network. Additionally, water is provided free of cost to its immediate neighbours (regulated by meters). This partnership has also led to the placement of solar panels and the running of water pipes on private properties. They are direct beneficiaries of the supply.

Over 150 fruit and other trees were planted (banana, pine, breadfruit etc.) during the project and as part of the income generation stream they have been selling their produce to neighbouring supermarkets and hotels in the Ocho Rios area. Expansion of the agricultural component which includes cash crops and eggs is anticipated.

MSC has a five (5) year plan in place which includes construction of fish ponds, additional poultry houses, recycling of plastic bottles and the establishment of a bottled water processing facility. It is expected that these initiatives will help to reduce operational expenses and widen the scope of opportunities for employment for residents and volunteers at the facility. The plan also includes the education of the wider community to the effects of climate and the need for changes in behavior as a means of halting it impacts and creating a safer environment. Through engagement of key government agencies (National Environment and Planning Agency, National Solid Waste Management Authority) Mustard Seed hopes to impact changes starting with the management of garbage at the adjoining dump site.

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Indicators

Biophysical

VRA1: Vulnerability to present climate change hazards 5

Biophysical

VRA3: Vulnerability to future, anticipated climate hazards 5

Biophysical

VRA4: Efficacy of coping mechanisms in face of projected climate change 5

Biophysical

VRA7: Development of adaptive capacity beyond the scope of the project intervention 5

Biophysical

Hectares of land sustainably managed by project 50

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