The Ministry of Infrastructure, Environment and Agriculture has announced its support to achieve climate resilience through sustainable land management.
In conceptualizing this regional project on Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Land Management, it was recognized in the Project Report, of December 2014, that “Caribbean islands have been identified as being among the most vulnerable in the world, and they are considered disaster hotspots. This description stems from the increasing frequency and intensity of natural hazard events, and the impact which has been compounded by population growth in high risk areas,…improper land use planning and environmental management; and the low economic capacity of these small tourism-based economies to cope with disaster losses.”
The same report recognizes that, as a result, key industries such as tourism and agriculture will be negatively impacted and this poses a significant threat to the advancement of the region.
Prior to the presentations on two projects on which the funds will be spent, the Minister in closing said: “Thankfully, we have a team of dedicated public servants who capitalised on the opportunity and ensured that Anguilla received funding to improve the governance framework for land use, and to undertake these two projects.”
The two projects are funded under the physical adaption component and were presented by Mr. Dallen Connor, of the Department of Environment; and Mr. Shaynis Connor, of the Department of Infrastructure, both of whom are project leaders.
On the first project presentation on Streamlining Green Waste through Composting for Improved Sustainable Soil Management, Mr. Dallen Connor stated that “the main purposes of the project to streamline or consolidate the management of roadside vegetation clippings, crop residues and livestock manure and paper wastes from the office were to create an appropriate and affordable soil amendment using applicable technology.” He went on to explain that the project will establish a Standard Operating Procedure for creating the compost; introduce a consolidation system for organic wastes produced from various operations; and develop suitable and safe composts for sustainable agriculture.
The project is a collaborative one that hinges on the operations of the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Department of Environment. Compost, the soil amendment to be developed as an end product, will assist in providing a soil building agent for landscapers, backyard gardeners and farmers alike.
The system is one that uses an in-vessel composter that means there will be no leachate coming from the operation once the consolidated material is placed in the composting shed. The operation will also be solar powered and can be manned with a minimum of two persons.
Mr. Connor also expressed that “the project that began in March of this year, has a time limit of nine months.”
Now to the Sandy Ground Pond Flood Mitigation Mechanism Project. The second presenter, Mr. Shaynis Connor, explained that the objectives of the project were:
1. To control the outflow and inflow of water within the Road Bay salt pond;
2. Improve living conditions for the Sandy Ground community; and
3. Provide early warning to the community in the event of a disaster event.
The first phase of this project is being funded to a tune of EC 1.2 Million dollars with an eventual PHASE 2.
Mr. Connor described the need for the project and how the various components work. He explained that the reinforced concrete weir is designed to allow for the overtopping of the drainage channel in the event of a flood-type event, and houses the non-return valve and a sluice gate, both of which will be used to control the flow of water during normal rain events.
The non-return valves only open when the level of water on the pond side is greater than the level of water on the sea side. They do not allow water to enter the pond from the sea. They are located approx. 250 ft away from the coastline within the channel. And the single sluice gate allows for the passage of water, on either side, through the manual opening and closing of a gate when there is need for extra capacity for the outflow of water.
He also added that the project has a life line of six months for completion.
