Representatives from the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), National Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA), and the Forestry Department at Palmetto Point Wetlands, Falmouth, Trelawny, Jamaica.
Trelawny, Jamaica – October 2nd, 2026 — The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and national and community partners completed site visits in Jamaica on October 1 and 2 to review progress under the Jamaica Resilient Recovery Initiative (JARRI), a recovery programme supporting communities affected by Hurricane Melissa.
The visits provided an opportunity to assess implementation on the ground, engage community members and technical partners, and examine how CDF’s US$500,000 contribution through its Emergency Disaster Assistance Facility (EDAF) is supporting early recovery, debris management, livelihood restoration, recycling, and environmental rehabilitation.
Implemented by UNDP in collaboration with national agencies and local stakeholders, JARRI is designed to help affected communities recover while building greater resilience to future climate-related shocks. The initiative links immediate cleanup and access restoration with longer-term measures that support livelihoods, reduce environmental and public health risks, and promote more sustainable community recovery.
“Recovery must go beyond restoring what was lost,” said Kenrick Burke, Programme Specialist (Sustainable Energy), CDF. “Through EDAF, the CDF is supporting an approach that helps communities regain access, restore livelihoods, and strengthen resilience. The work being advanced under JARRI demonstrates the value of regional solidarity and practical partnerships in helping communities build forward better.”
A central component of the initiative is the Cash-for-Work programme, which provides temporary income support to affected residents while engaging them directly in priority recovery activities, including debris clearance, community cleanup, sorting and recycling of recovered materials, and environmental restoration. To date, 102 community members have benefited from capacity-building activities linked to the programme.
The mission also highlighted the importance of protecting Jamaica’s wetlands and mangrove ecosystems, which serve as natural buffers against storm surge, wave action, flooding, and coastal erosion. JARRI-supported activities therefore include restoring water flows, removing waste and obstructions, addressing encroachment, and strengthening community awareness of the role these ecosystems play in disaster risk reduction.
Recycling and productive reuse are also being promoted as part of a more sustainable recovery model. By moving beyond a traditional “clean-up and dispose” approach, the initiative seeks to reduce pressure on disposal sites, support safer debris handling, and create opportunities for communities to convert recovered materials into productive resources.
CDF’s support to JARRI is consistent with its mandate to provide financial and technical assistance to disadvantaged countries, regions, and sectors within the CARICOM Community. The Fund’s disaster recovery assistance is intended to help Member States respond to urgent needs while advancing inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development outcomes.
CDF and UNDP will continue working with national authorities, community representatives, and implementing partners to support timely delivery of JARRI activities and to ensure that recovery investments contribute to stronger, safer, and more resilient communities across Jamaica.
About the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) – The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) is established under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to provide financial and technical assistance to disadvantaged countries, regions and sectors within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) geared towards reducing disparities within and across Member States. Through strategic investments and partnerships, CDF promotes social and economic cohesion in CARICOM, focusing on interventions that contribute to inclusive, sustainable and balanced development, helping member countries maximize the benefits of regional integration.
About the Jamaica Resilient Recovery Initiative The Jamaica Resilient Recovery Initiative supports disaster-affected communities following Hurricane Melissa by combining early recovery assistance with resilience-building measures. Implemented by UNDP with support from CDF and other partners, JARRI focuses on debris management, livelihood recovery, environmental restoration, and community-level preparedness.
For more information, please contact:
CARICOM Development Fund
Email: info@caricomdf.org
Phone: +1 246-436-1849
