US$9.995m Endorsed for Jamaica’s Adaptation Fund Programme

A total of US$9.995 million has been earmarked for Jamaica's Adaptation Fund Programme: Enhancing the Resilience of the Agriculture Sector and Coastal Areas to Protect Livelihoods and Improve Food Security. The programme concept was spearheaded by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) with support from key stakeholders and endorsed by the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB) at its 14th Meeting held recently in Bonn, Germany. This endorsement gives the go ahead for the development of the full programme proposal.

The primary objectives of the programme are: to increase the climate resilience of the Negril coastline; enhance the climate resilience of the agriculture sector by improving water and land management in select communities; and to improve institutional and local level capacity for sustainable management of the natural resources and in disaster risk reduction in the targeted vulnerable areas.

The Adaptation Fund was established to provide financial resources to developing countries that are adversely affected from the impacts of climate change. The PIOJ is Jamaica's National Implementing Entity (NIE) under the Fund and through which the country has direct access to the Fund. The PIOJ was accredited as the NIE on September 17, 2010.

The full proposal is expected to be completed and submitted by March 2012. The country will receive the resources for implementation of the programme after the AFB’s approval of the proposal.