FAO – WATER ENERGY NEXUS PROJECT

‘Addressing the Water, Energy Food Nexus in the Caribbean’ sub-project component of the Mexico-CARICOM-FAO Initiative “Cooperation for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in the Caribbean” is supporting Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica and Saint Kitts and Nevis in boosting agricultural productivity through water-resource efficiency. Using an integrated Water-Energy-Food nexus approach, It promotes technological innovations, such as solar-powered (micro) irrigation systems to improve water efficiency and management (e.g. hydroponics and rainwater harvesting), and access to clean and climate-smart energy (solar and wind), to increase the agricultural productivity of water.

The project is intended to provide access of the natural resource through rainwater harvesting, storage and distribution while minimizing tremendous wastage. Twenty-six (26) farmers on Antigua and Barbuda stand to benefit from this project through a capacity building workshop and they will be recipients of water tanks or water bladders, solar powered pumps and irrigation drip lines.

According to Mali Barnes, project Coordinator, “Antigua and Barbuda is really in a unique geographical location where we do not receive much rain, we don’t have many hills and mountains so we don’t have the constant showers that some of our neighbours may have. We do not have the streams, the rivers or lakes. However, even though Climate Change is a global issue we suffer really badly because we just do not have the natural water resources like the others may have. Therefore, what we have to do is to come up with ways to cope and adapt to Climate Change. The draughts are getting longer, the storms are getting more intense, the rain patterns are more erratic and less predictable, so we need to do what we can to adapt and be more resilient”. This project will assist farmers to have water catchments to use during the dry seasons to supply the water they need and likewise during the wet season water could be harvested and stored.

As the effects of climate change intensify, sea levels are likely to rise, decreasing freshwater quality and increasing the frequency and severity of droughts. This coupled with the inefficiency in the use of water, particularly affects agricultural production, which is in strong competition with other sectors for water resources. Thus, the overall impact of the project will promote and increase Food production and Security in the Caribbean through improved water and energy management in addition to increase the region’s resilience to Climate Change.