Antigua & Barbuda’s 2015-2020 National Action Plan: Combatting Desertification, Land Degradation & Drought i | P a g e Table of Contents FOREWORD................................................................................................................................................. VI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................................................. VII ANTIGUA & BARBUDA’S 2015-2020 NATIONAL ACTION PLAN PROJECT TEAM.................................. VIII ACRONYMS.................................................................................................................................................IX EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................XI BACKGROUND...........................................................................................................................................12 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................12 DESCRIPTION OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA..........................................................................................................13 Geography ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Climate............................................................................................................................................... 14 Natural Hazards................................................................................................................................. 16 Water Resources ............................................................................................................................... 18 Watersheds ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Ecosystems......................................................................................................................................... 19 Land Use ............................................................................................................................................ 23 Population.......................................................................................................................................... 24 Employment ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Poverty Estimates: ............................................................................................................................. 25 Crime, Poverty and Environmental Degradation ......................................................................... 26 Economy............................................................................................................................................ 26 Tourism................................................................................................................................................ 28 Agriculture ......................................................................................................................................... 29 Communications .............................................................................................................................. 30 Manufacturing .................................................................................................................................. 30 INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK .....................................................................................................30 Land Management Agencies......................................................................................................... 32 Coordination among Agencies...................................................................................................... 35 NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS............................................................................................................37 Environmental Awareness Group (EAG)........................................................................................ 37 Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Center (GARD) ..................................................... 38 Humane Society................................................................................................................................ 38 Barbuda Research Complex........................................................................................................... 39 Community Based Organisations ................................................................................................... 39 Professional Associations.................................................................................................................. 39 IDENTIFICATION OF DEGRADED SITES ......................................................................................................41 METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................................................41 DEFINITIONS ......................................................................................................................................................41 DEVELOPING A HYDRO-GEOLOGICAL BASELINE.................................................................................................44 Geological Features......................................................................................................................... 44 Hydrological Features ...................................................................................................................... 49 ii | P a g e Gaps in the Baseline......................................................................................................................... 53 USE OF INDICATORS...........................................................................................................................................54 Meteorological Data........................................................................................................................ 54 Agricultural Data............................................................................................................................... 56 Land Use Data................................................................................................................................... 58 Socio-Economic Data ...................................................................................................................... 58 Disaster Vulnerability Risk Mapping ................................................................................................ 60 NATIONAL DLDD RESPONSE SYSTEM..................................................................................................................70 ALIGNING NATIONAL ACTION WITH THE 10-YEAR PLAN .......................................................................73 OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVE 1: ADVOCACY, AWARENESS RAISING AND EDUCATION................................................73 Education strategy ........................................................................................................................... 73 Sector Specific Awareness Targets................................................................................................. 74 Synergies with Other MEAs............................................................................................................... 75 Revitalizing Professional Associations ............................................................................................. 75 OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVE 2: POLICY FRAMEWORK..............................................................................................75 Watershed Management ................................................................................................................ 76 Crown Lands Management ............................................................................................................ 78 Pasture and Range Management ................................................................................................. 78 Animal and Plant Control ................................................................................................................ 79 Coastal Management ..................................................................................................................... 79 National Drought Mitigation System............................................................................................... 80 OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVE 3: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE..............................................................81 Data on Water Resources:............................................................................................................... 81 Hydrological information: ................................................................................................................ 82 Barbuda ............................................................................................................................................. 82 Geographical Information Systems (GIS) capability: ................................................................... 82 Promotion of Academic Research................................................................................................