Clarendon residents better prepared to deal with climate change
FIVE CLARENDON communities in the Upper Rio Minho Watershed are now better equipped to adapt to climate change, improve crop productivity, and increase their earning capacity, following the launch of five innovative aquaponics systems in the parish on Thursday, March 5.
Aquaponics is an innovative farming technique that combines aquaculture (fish farming) with hydroponics (soilless crop production) into a closed system that is resilient to destructive climate-change events.
It has the potential to boost crop production up to 10 times higher than traditionally cultivated plots of equivalent size, while using 85-90 per cent less water and no chemical fertilisers or pesticides. It is a low-energy consumption system, providing year-round crop production and using much less labour than traditional farming. This makes it an attractive cultivation option for individuals with disabilities, female-led households, and youth.
NEW AQUAPONICS SYSTEMS
The new aquaponics systems in Aenon Town, Ritchies, Alston, Johns Hall and James Hill will be operated by their Community Development Committees. They were provided by the Adaptation Programme and Financing Mechanism Project of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience, through INMED Partnerships for Children and their innovative INMED Aquaponics TM programme.
“I think the project will provide employment for some persons. It can also bring about togetherness [and] as we have representatives from all the different churches in the area working together on it,” president of the Ritchies Community Development Committee, Morene Marshall, told the launch. “I worked with my community to get a piece of property for the project. I want it to be sustained, so I want to see it last for a lifetime.”
The aquaponics system is a part of the activities undertaken to help to reduce Jamaica’s vulnerability to climate change. The island has been experiencing impacts such as stronger hurricanes, severe flooding, prolonged droughts and sea level rise. Between 2001 and 2012, Jamaica experienced 11 storm events (including five major hurricanes) and several flood events resulting in loss and damage amounting to about $128.54 billion.
“It is an exciting time for the project, as these systems will greatly boost agricultural production in the communities. It will reduce their dependence on the changing weather patterns in order to produce because drought, for example, will not cripple the farmers as it used to,” project manager Dr Winsome Townsend noted in her remarks.
Meanwhile, General Manager for the Caribbean Country Department for the International Development Bank, Therese Turner-Jones, commended the communities for their proactivity and recognising the importance of building resilience to climate change.
“They have led the charge for implementing the commissioning of these systems, which will boost their agricultural outputs [that are] critical to ensuring food security, especially in periods of drought,” she observed.
President of INMED Dr Linda Pfeiffer said the organisation was committed to providing crucial training and mentoring to help the communities succeed in achieving food and economic security, and building climate resiliency.