Arlette Dunkley-Fullerton, a farmer in Jamaica's Cockpit Country Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), has observed significant changes in rainfall patterns and crop growing seasons over the past 20 years. "The work that Jamaica Environment Trust did to help us plan for climate change in our area was not just informative about climate change, it was an eye-opener, especially for the group members," says Arlette, who is also Vice President of the South East Cockpit Country Local Forest Management Committee Benevolent Society.
This community-based group supports national forest conservation goals and promotes sustainable alternative livelihoods for residents of the southeast section of the Cockpit Country KBA. Many residents have traditionally relied heavily on forest resources as part of their livelihood strategies.
The Cockpit Country is crucial to Jamaica for several reasons. It supplies 40% of Western Jamaica's water, contains the largest remaining contiguous rainforest on the island, and hosts approximately 1,500 vascular plant species, including 400 endemics. It provides habitats for all 28 of Jamaica's endemic land birds and features high local diversity of amphibians and reptiles. Additionally, thirteen out of Jamaica's 21 bat species are obligate cave dwellers, including three endemics.
This KBA also offers numerous communities livelihood opportunities through agriculture. Subsistence farmers cultivate valley bottoms primarily with yams, although this practice can negatively impact biodiversity.
Despite recognizing climate change as a threat to Cockpit Country's biodiversity, no studies had assessed its localized impact until recently. To address this gap, the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) initiated efforts supported by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). JET aimed to enhance protected area management and socioeconomic planning in the southeast section of the Cockpit Country by leveraging scientific information and local knowledge to address historical impacts of climate change on biodiversity and agriculture.
Through workshops, meetings, and training sessions under this project, community members learned about climate change's current effects on biodiversity and livelihoods in the Cockpit Country. They also gained insights into how farming practices could adapt to mitigate these impacts.
Community discussions revealed that while yam farming currently dominates agriculture in the area, it hasn't always been so. This historical perspective helped community members understand that they might need to adopt more climate-resilient crops and sustainable farming practices due to ongoing climate changes.
JET collaborated with the Climate Studies Group Mona from the University of the West Indies to prepare localized climate change assessments for three future timeframes: near-term (2030-2039), medium-term (2050-2059), and end-of-century (2080-2097). The scientific data was then translated into accessible materials such as presentations, videos, and brochures for community meetings.
In a blend of scientific insight and local knowledge, JET and community members developed a vulnerability assessment and local adaptation plan for communities like Troy, Wilson's Run, New Hope, Warsop, Litchfield, Wait-a-bit, and Wirefence. The plan outlines actions benefiting both community livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.
The participatory approach was well-received by community members. "We got the chance to suggest our own solutions to the problem," says Arlette. She is implementing a rainwater harvesting system as one adaptation method discussed during workshops.
Building on JET’s project success, Arlette notes that incorporating live trees into yam farming was another technique explored in meetings. The South East Cockpit Country Local Forest Management Committee Benevolent Society has since secured approval from CEPF for a follow-up project encouraging live yam stick use in cultivation.
Arlette underscores JET’s role in raising awareness about climate change: "They were so into [the sessions] and learning about climate change." Community members now recognize signs of climate change affecting their farms and communities. "We are literally IN climate change now," she says. "And as a group we feel that this [type of project] is something that needs to be continued."
For further information please contact Wendy Dyemma-Harper at caribbeanrit@canari.org.