Implementing Land Husbandry Best Management Practices in Hillside

Areas

Peter Thompson, RADA

The Agricultural Sector

• The Agricultural sector remains an important contributor to GDP, employment, foreign exchange earnings and rural life in Jamaica. The sector absorbs 20 percent of the country’s employed labour force.

• The damage and loss to the agriculture sector due to major climate events between 1994 and 2010 is estimated to have amounted to J$14.4 billion. Billions have been lost that could be considerably minimized with adaptation of good land husbandry technologies

Strategic Objectives of RADA

RADA Strategic Pillar

1. Organization Re-Alignment

to reflect the

technical nature of the Authority

Ensure a technically efficient extension service

To support, increase and modernize agricultural production and productivity

Maintain, constantly upgrade and document field staff capabilities

To ensure utmost competence, confidence, currency and professionalism and support comprehensive performance evaluation

Monitor farming community, agro-ecology, infrastructure and management practices.

To support productivity, food safety, sanitary/phyto-sanitary, environmental and human health strategies and standards.

Collaborative Approaches

• Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries• Ministry of Land Water Environment and Climate

Change• GOJ adaptation Project• GIZ programme• FAO • UWI-Mona• USAID– Ja REEACH- Climate Smart Agriculture

RADA’s Interventions: Land Husbandry Unit

• Senior Land Husbandry OfficerSupported by parish Land Husbandry Officers deployed across the Island:– Capacity building for Extension staff in land

husbandry – Development of training manuals– Equipping of staff with land husbandry kits– Target oriented approach the promotion of sound

land husbandry practices.

Objectives and Main Focus Of Land Husbandry Unit 2015 – 2016

Adoption of Farmer Field School methodology in the training of farmers and extension staff.

Continued training of extension staff and farmer’s in determining land husbandry innovation suitable for location, adaptable, affordable and sustainable.

To train farmers in the establishment and construction of the various innovations and treatments.

Conduct farm tours to view innovations practiced by other farmers. The use of Agro –forestry as an adoption tool in combating the

negative effects of climate change Officers should identify, prepare and submit project proposals to

protect the environment and address areas of degradation. Acquisition of the basic tools necessary to function effectively.

RADA interventions:Communication with Target Audience

• RADA continues to update and adopt emerging trends to training and dissemination of information to stakeholders directly and indirectly in the Agriculture industry. These include:– SMS– Emails– Publications– FFS training approach – Field monitoring

Collaborative Interventions

• FAO through funding from the Government of Belgium approved an emergency recovery project

• GOJ/IDB Adaptation Fund• USAID Ja REEACH project – Agroforestry and

Land Husbandry, among others

Unsustainable Practices• Deforestation• Destruction of water sources• Overgrazing • Removing vegetative covering &

Slash and burn• Mono cropping• Disturbing or changing drainage

pattern• Hillside farming without control

measures• Poor maintenance of drains and

waterways

• Improper disposal of waste• Destabilizing slopes• Unsafe developmental activities • Poor planning• Bush fires• Blocked waterway• Improper excavating or grading

on slopes• Unsustainable farming practices • Poor site selection and farm

building construction

Strategies for Sustainable Land Management

1. Study of traditional methods for managing water, soil and soil fertility 2. Study of the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness and economic viability of erosion control methods3. Study of the costs of erosion and of erosion control at the individual plot and watershed levels4. Regional adaptation of methods of managing water, nutrients and biomass.5. Develop and implement action plans to close gaps that come to the fore and exploit opportunities identified

Major Focus Areas

• Land Capability Classification• Understanding Land degradation, and Climate

Hazards• Soil Erosion diagnostics and design of land

stabilization options• Soil Conservation Innovations• Cropping Systems using weather forecast data.• Sustainable land and soil fertility Management

practices

Cropping and Interventions for Specific Slope Conditions

Recommended Crops and Farming Systems for Specific Slope ConditionsSlope Recommended Crops Recommended Practices

Very Steep (more than >60 %) Forest (protection for natural growth)

Natural regeneration

Steep (between 30-60 %) Trees and perennial crops Agroforestry, gully plug, check dam, stone barrier, log barrier, Coffee, fruit trees, individual basins

Hilly (16-30%) Trees and perennial crops Vegetative strips, agroforestry, orchard terrace, individual basins

Rolling (8-16%) Trees, grazing, permanent crops

Moderate slope (5-8) Permanent and annual crop Trash line, conservative agriculture, multi-storey cropping

Gently slope (2-5%) Annual crops, livestock Soil conservation practices according to geomorphological characteristics of the plot (i.e., the type of landforms present and soil structure)

Land Husbandry Farmer Field School Training – Training of Trainers

Development of Practical Skills in Land Husbandry

St. Thomas, 2015

Demonstrating Land Husbandry Best Practices

(In-Field)

Field Day, Coopers Hill, Portland

Thank you