Project Overview
OVERVIEW
Increasing agricultural production, productivity and farmer incomes in Antigua and Barbuda is constrained an over-reliance on reverse osmosis to meet water needs coupled with:
the high cost of irrigation water.
climate change and variability.
the poor quality of farm roads, which increases transportation costs and postharvest losses.
the Government’s limited access to heavy equipment for land preparation, improving road access and drainage maintenance, and the construction and maintenance of water harvesting and storage infrastructure.
The country also has very limited opportunity for natural water storage, making it vulnerable to climate variability and climatic extremes, and susceptible to both drought and flood events.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda via the Agricultural Strategy 2012, committed to formulating and implementing sustainable land, soil and water management systems by:
Implementing the Antigua and Barbuda Land Use Policy to ensure the adoption/utilisation of production systems that are appropriate to ensure production zones and sizes of enterprises.
Promoting the adoption of efficient, effective and sustainable soil and water management practices including:
o Drainage and irrigation
o Water harvesting
o Soil and water conservation
o Watershed management
o Adoption of practices to mitigate land-based sources of water pollution and land degradation.
Establishing an institutional mechanism for better integration and coordination of water management initiatives.
The project contributes to the acquisition of heavy equipment by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to be used in the construction and maintenance of various dams, land preparation, and improving road access and drainage maintenance within selected farming communities. The project will benefit farmers across the country starting with 300 farmers (225 men, 75 women) in the village of Liberta, located in the parish of St. Paul.
