More and more Caribbean countries are picking up the momentum of preparing for Drought as they seek to deal with issues of food security and sourcing fresh water.The observation from many islands within the trends of dryness is that of that scattered multi-year droughts, that are slowly bringing havoc to Caribbean countries.
To assist the Caribbean and other member states the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) last year presented a new Drought Initiative to partners in Rome. The initiative in its first phase will help countries develop a national drought preparedness plan.
Ms. Monique Barbut Executive Secretary of the UNCCD says while drought is expected to become more severe, the initiative was undertaken to assist countries in mitigating the effects.
“Last year we noticed that only three countries in the world had drought preparedness planning, the US, Australia, and Israel We thought that planning will not impeach the drought but will mitigate the effects if it is well done.”
Having a small population of 110,000 Grenada is advancing their plight such a plan according to Minister of Agriculture Yolande Bain-Horsford. Bain-Horsford says “We are now working with the National Drought plan in Grenada, to look at specific ways to store water, especially for farmers in the rural communities.”
The Minister was addressing a CRIC press conference in Guyana on Monday 28th January.
Other efforts coming from the UNCCD Secretariat are regional efforts to reduce drought vulnerability and risk, and the introduction of a toolbox to boost the resilience of people and ecosystems to drought.
Testimony coming from Guyanese Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon is that although his country is known for its Green and large forests some portions including the Rupununi region are experiencing drought at some parts of the year and floods during another. He said,” You have something like two seasons, a season of drought and a season of flooding.”
One of the Sustainable measures includes utilizing wells in the Rupununi region;
“ The Brazilian army working together with our Guyana Water Incorporated, Civil Defense Commission and the Guyana Defense Force to be able to drill wells in at least eight major indigenous communities in the Southern Part of the Rupununi. It will allow them to have access to water throughout the year.”
Monique Barbut United Nations Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification,Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon and Minister for Agriculture Grenada Yolande Bain-Horsford
The UNCCD Secretary confirms that her organization has resources to assist 70 countries in their planning.” Clearly they are now in the process of doing this exercise; c, I hope at the COP 14 in India we will be able to report.”
The UNCCD envisages that such a plan would be endorsed and eventual action triggered at the highest political level.
