Jamaica's Urban Farmers Adapt to Climate Change with Innovative Solutions

As climate change disrupts traditional weather patterns, urban farmers in Kingston, Jamaica, are racing to adapt. The Getting to Zero Forum, held from May 21-23, 2024, highlighted Jamaica's efforts in building resilience through sustainable agricultural practices and innovative water management systems.

Key Points:

• Community Efforts: The Abilities Foundation in Kingston runs a commercial garden that funds vocational training for students with special needs. The garden utilizes a rainwater harvesting system, crucial for irrigation as rainfall becomes less reliable.

• CityAdapt Initiative: Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility, CityAdapt has installed rainwater harvesting tanks in six schools and community centers in Kingston. This initiative has benefited over 130,000 people in Jamaica, El Salvador, and Mexico since 2018.

• Innovative Gardening: At Kingston Technical High School, a "container garden" allows for efficient plant cultivation in urban areas with limited space, enhancing food security and providing therapeutic benefits for students.

• Global Perspective: As the Earth's climate changes, droughts are becoming more common. By 2050, three-quarters of humanity could be affected by reduced rainfall. Initiatives like CityAdapt demonstrate the potential for communities to adapt and create sustainable futures.

• Future Focus: World Environment Day 2024, hosted by Saudi Arabia, will focus on desertification, land degradation, and drought resilience, themes that resonate with Jamaica's current challenges.

Quotes:

Climate change is not a problem for tomorrow. Countries across the Caribbean are already wrestling with the fallout from this crisis,” says Juan Bello, UNEP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

It is our responsibility to build capacities at the local and community level so that all citizens can be leaders themselves,” says Vincent Sweeney, head of the UNEP Caribbean Sub-Regional Office.

Source: unep