Bridgetown, Barbados September 28th, 2020 – The CDEMA CU is pleased to present the Resilient Environment & Agricultural Caribbean Habitats (REACH) project, in collaboration with its implementing partners the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) and the Italian International Centre on Environmental Monitoring (CIMA) Research Foundation. The project is funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and was launched in April 2019 in the two recipient countries St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Since the launch, the implementing partners have been working alongside the Ministries of Agriculture in both countries to implement the project activities.
The primary aim of the project is to enhance the capability of small farmers and their communities to organize and manage Agricultural Disaster Risk Management initiatives through improved access to and joint management of relevant agro-meteorological information flows (on a two-way basis). The desired outcome is that farming communities will have improved access to tailored information on climate-related events to better prepare for threats posed by meteorological hazards. Additionally, the project has scope for the joint design and implementation of adequate Natural Resource Management and agricultural risk management practices to enhance the resilience of small farmers to shocks and hazards. To achieve this, the project is promoting the exchange and scaling-up of best practice workshops which will bring together representatives of Caribbean countries where Agriculture Disaster Risk Management (ADRM) plans are already being implemented, and where Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Natural Resource Management (NRM) best practices have been applied. It is envisioned that this model of information sharing will ensure the dissemination and replication of useful experiences across the region and strengthen institutional capacities at various levels, including preliminary identification of possible South-South Cooperation perspectives.
In an interview about the project, Executive Director of CDEMA Elizabeth Riley stated, “The work we are doing is about securing the lives and livelihoods of the people of the region”. The REACH project is fully in line with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Global Strategic Objective (SO) 5- Increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises, as well as with the priorities expressed in the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) strategy “Enhanced Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy for the Caribbean 2014-2024” for which FAO is the lead agency with responsibility for the agriculture sector. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, project activities have been delayed. Notwithstanding, national workshops and training for small farmers have been hosted on virtual platforms and the project is scheduled to regain momentum as have been relaxed. Notable activities for the months of October and November should include installations of agro-meteorological stations in both St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
For further information, please contact:
Clive Murray
Communication and Education Specialist
CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA)
Resilience Way, Lower Estate
St. Michael
BARBADOS|
Tel #: (246) 434-4880
Fax #: (246) 271-3660
Email: