The Global Environment Facility-funded Integrating Watershed and Coastal Areas Management (GEF-IWCAM) Project Capture and Demonstration of Good Practice and Lessons Learned Empowerment and Participation: Case Study of the GEF-IWCAM Jamaica Demonstration Project “An Integrated Approach to Managing the Marine, Coastal and Watershed Resources of east-central Portland” FINAL July 2011 Prepared by Sylvester Clauzel Managing Consultant Scribal Consultancy Services PO Box CP 6151, Castries, Saint Lucia ABBREVIATIONS BJCMNP Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park BOD Biological Oxygen Demand CWIP Coastal Water Quality Improvement Project CPEC Caribbean Regional Human Resources Development Program for Economic Competitiveness Project DAC Development Area Committee DRW Drivers River Watershed EAST Environmental Audits for Sustainable Tourism EFJ Environmental Foundation of Jamaica ENACT Environmental Action Programme EUBSP European Union Banana Support Project FD Forestry Department GEF Global Environment Fund GOJ Government of Jamaica IICA Inter-American Institute for Co-operation and Agriculture IWCAM Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management JAS Jamaica Agricultural Society JaNEAP Jamaica National Environmental Action Plan JCDC Jamaica Cultural Development Commission JCDT Jamaica Conservation & Development Trust JET Jamaica Environmental Trust JHTA Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association JMA Jamaica Manufacturers Association KAP Knowledge Attitudes and Practices LDUC Land development and Utilization Commission NEPA National Environment & Planning Agency NGO Non Governmental Organization GEF-IWCAM Case Study | Empowerment and Participation - Jamaica 2 NRCA Natural Resources Conservation Authority NSWMA National Solid Waste Management Authority PAMP Port Antonio Marine Park and Forest Corridor PDMG Portland Destination Management Group PEPA Portland Environment Protection Association PIOJ Planning Institute of Jamaica PPC Portland Parish Council PPDC Portland Parish Development Committee PCU Programme Coordinating Unit PMU Project Management Unit RADA Rural Agricultural Development Authority R2RW Ridge to Reef Watershed Project RGWMC Rio Grande Watershed Management Committee SDC Social Development Commission SEP School’s Environment Programme STATIN Statistical Institute of Jamaica TBL Triple Bottom Line TPD Town Planning Department TSS Total Suspended Solids WMU Watershed Management Unit WPA Watershed Protection Act WRA Water Resources Authority GEF-IWCAM Case Study | Empowerment and Participation - Jamaica 3 Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. 4 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 6 Approach to Lesson One .................................................................................................... 6 Approach to Lesson Two .................................................................................................... 7 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 8 Background ........................................................................................................................... 9 Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 12 Baseline Information on demonstration site ........................................................................ 13 The Communities ............................................................................................................. 13 Institutional Arrangements .............................................................................................. 14 The Legislative and Policy framework ............................................................................... 15 Key Lessons Learned: Assessment of Success Factors ........................................................... 18 Social ............................................................................................................................... 18 Community involvement in planning ....................................................................................... 18 Addressing community priorities ............................................................................................. 19 Using community skills and talents over imported ones ......................................................... 19 Livelihood enhancements of local community ........................................................................ 19 Increased access to physical assets by the community ........................................................... 20 Increased appreciation of local culture and traditions ............................................................ 20 Environmental ................................................................................................................. 21 Improved solid and liquid waste management ........................................................................ 21 Innovative appropriate technologies ....................................................................................... 21 Improving water conservation and quality practices ............................................................... 22 Improving soil conservation and reduction in sedimentation ................................................. 22 Environmental Management Systems ..................................................................................... 23 GEF-IWCAM Case Study | Empowerment and Participation - Jamaica 4 Education and awareness building activities to change behaviour ......................................... 24 Economic ......................................................................................................................... 25 Potential for viable small businesses ....................................................................................... 25 Employment opportunities ...................................................................................................... 25 Opportunities for entrepreneurial activity ............................................................................... 26 Access to finance for spin-off business initiatives .................................................................... 27 Demonstrated Best Practices ............................................................................................... 28 Community participation ................................................................................................. 28 Clarity of communication with stakeholders from the onset .................................................. 28 Response from and collaboration with key contributors to the problem ............................... 28 Community identification of problems/Community priorities ................................................ 28 Technical local capacity and Institutional arrangements ................................................... 29 Strong Leadership/ Management/co-ordination capacity....................................................... 29 Technical capacity available to project .................................................................................... 29 Workable linkages to supporting institutions .......................................................................... 30 Adequate financing/co-financing ............................................................................................. 30 Enabling policy and legislative environment ..................................................................... 30 Review of and harmonisation of supporting legislation, policy, and regulations .................... 30 Enabling policy framework - Incentives and disincentives ...................................................... 31 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 32 Appendix I ........................................................................................................................... 33 References .......................................................................................................................... 36 List of Interviewees/Contributors ........................................................................................ 37 GEF-IWCAM Case Study | Empowerment and Participation - Jamaica 5 Introduction The GEF-IWCAM Project’s Jamaica demonstration project titled “An integrated approach to managing the marine, coastal and watershed resources of east-central Portland” was conducted over a period of approximately thirty-six months, with an implementation phase of eighteen months. It resulted in many important lessons or good practices, two of which are highlighted in this Case Study. The first was a strategy describing how to incorporate the lessons and best practices of older projects in improving the chances of success in a new project; and the second lesson was the development of methodologies suitable for successfully replicating integrated watershed and coastal area management (IWCAM) practices in other similar projects in the future. Approach to Lesson One The demonstration project attempted to capture