Significant progress is being made through the Enhancing Land Management and Strengthening Ecosystem Resilience for Integrated Landscape Restoration and Climate-Resilient Food Systems in Carriacou, also known as the Carriacou ILM Project, to improve farmers’ access to water, which will enhance irrigation, boost food production, increase livestock, and ultimately improve their livelihoods by increasing their earnings.
This project is being executed by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management, with funding from the Global Environment Facility and implemented with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
One of its significant accomplishments is the restoration of the Dumfries cistern, a crucial water storage system for the community for decades. The cistern, which has deteriorated and could no longer function at its full capacity, has been successfully restored and can now collect and store its maximum water volume.
Project Manager Bernard McIntosh explained that “The project intervention was to fence the perimeter, repair all the cracks and crevices on the catchment area, consequently maximising the catchment’s potential.”
McIntosh is looking forward to installing a black tank and solar pump system that will take water from the storage into the tanks so that the farmers in this community can gain access.
In Carriacou, every drop of water is precious, symbolising renewed hope. Agriculture plays a crucial role in the island’s society and way of life. The main crops grown here include pigeon peas, corn, sweet potato, yam, dasheen, watermelon, sorrel, cucumber, and butternut squash.
The Strengthening Ecosystem Resilience for Integrated Landscape Restoration and Climate-Resilient Food Systems in Carriacou project seeks as its objective to effectively address land degradation in Carriacou, through demonstration and application of ecosystems-based landscape restoration, sustainable land management and good agricultural practices, using community participatory approaches that expand diversification and sustainability of livelihood options.
The second phase of the rehabilitation will continue, with the cistern being outfitted with a solar-powered pump along with water tanks to increase storage capacity, which will contribute to more water available for livestock and irrigation. The rehabilitated structure has the capacity to store over 14,000 gallons of water.
Source: PISLM