Environmental policy and administrative management

The five districts of Content, Shrewsbury, Fyffe s Pen, Sellington and especially Cotterwood in St. Elizabeth have been experiencing problems of acute soil erosion which is threatening the stability of land in the area and in effect is a great disaster risk in the event of heavy rains. When it rains the soil on the hillside of Cotterwood and Content is washed down onto the main road causing major flooding and damage to the road surface. This results in the community being cut off all together. Three thousand (3000) persons are impacted in one way or another. For example, community people are unable to continue normal livelihood activities because they cannot go, work and their produce cannot go to market so income is affected. In addition, crops are damaged in the process, land where farmers have piggeries are eroded causing the farmers to lose livestock and chicken coops, children cannot go to school and supplies cannot get in to the community. This situation of soil erosion occurs at least four (4) times a year during rainy season and whenever it rains heavily and directly affects approximately four (4) hectares of land and indirectly affects two (2) hectares. This situation is aggravated by poor water management, particularly in Cotterwood and Sellington and has existed for over ten (10) years. Citizens regularly face the outbreak of water-borne diseases and flooding along with the related problems. The Parish Council has attempted to address the problem by clearing and repairing the road way and building a culvert to lead the water away to prevent flooding. These attempts have not been successful as the problems recur when the heavy rains come because the fundamental issue is not addressed. In recent times, there have been surveys on the state of the land and the water and sanitation problems in the area. It has been discovered that the main causes of soil erosion is improper farming practices whereby farmers use the method of burning to clear the land for planting and also during dry times there are occurrences of spontaneous forest fires in the hills. So unlike what was seen as the problem before, the blocking and flooding of the roads were merely symptoms of the problem that is now identified as occurring further up in the hills. There is therefore the need for training of residents including thirty (30) farmers), a total of sixty (60), in proper land clearing methods and other safe farming practices as well as the need to build the capacity of community members (approximately 30) from the various CBOs to fight forest fires (containing the fires so that houses and crops are not damaged. The main goal of the project is to enhance the environmental health and living conditions of the residents of the five targeted communities by addressing the problem of soil erosion /land slippage and to build the capacity of the Benevolent Society to contribute to the sustenance of the soil and water and sanitation systems. The expected outcomes of the project is the reduction of the incidence of land slippages/soil erosion and flooding of the communities. The project is also aimed at altering the behavioural practices of the residents (farmers and householders) as these relate to proper soil preservation and sanitation practices. The project, when implemented will result in: 1) improvement in the overall environmental health and protection of the Black River watershed in the area; 2) a capacitated Benevolent Society that can promote the sustainable development of the area, 3) active communities with residents sharing information to neighbouring communities to further prevent the situation of soil erosion, 4) the improvement in sanitation and hygiene practices, 5) enhancement of livelihoods of the residents.

Jamaica