Environmental policy and administrative management

Land degradation n the Mafoota area has been a problem for a number of years. Poor agricultural practices by farmers including slash and burn agriculture, and shifting cultivation has resulted in deforestation and reduced capacity for carbon sequestration. Cutlivation on steep slopes, over ploughing and overuse of fertilizers and pesticides has also compounded the problem. Soil erosion due to excessive run off has been experienced, with little soil conservation being practiced. The pesticides and insecticides run off have adverse impacts on the Mafoota River which is a tributary of the Great River. The latter supplies all the domestic water to the resort town of Montego Bay. The project seeks to introduce new farming practices and environmentally friendly technology that will sustainably manage farm lands, conserve soil, reduce deforestation of surrounding lands and decrease harmful run off to surrounding water bodies. Proetected agriculture in high tunnel houses (also called greenhouses) will be undertaken to accomplish these idelas. This will also reduce the spread to surrounding lands for open field and therefore reduce removal of natural vegetation from grass lands to estbalish farming plots. Besides producing higher quality produce, and increasing livelihoods, the project also targets long-term sustainability through replication on other farms.

Jamaica