Introduction
Land degradation is an ecological problem that manifests itself both at a local level by affecting the economic well being of people, and at a global level by undermining the integrity, stability functions and services of ecosystems. Land Degradation is defined as “…any form of degradation of the natural potential of the land that affects the integrity of the ecosystem, in terms of its reduction in sustained ecological productivity or in terms of its native biological wealth and the maintenance of its resilience”.
In the Caribbean, land degradation caused by poor land management practices such as slash and burn agriculture, uncontrolled livestock grazing on fragile lands, poor road construction and unplanned or poorly planned settlements in landslide-prone areas is of great concern. Every year untold amounts of valuable top-soil is eroded away and washed into rivers and out to sea during heavy rains. Over time, the productivity of land for agriculture is lost, as is the productivity of coral reefs as they become blanketed by silt. In both cases this presents challenges in maintaining food security. Siltation of rivers (caused by build-up of eroded soil in the river channels) increases the flood-risk in low-lying areas with potential for loss to life and property.
The valuable tourism industry is also negatively impacted by the outcomes of unsustainable land management. Land degradation causes pollution of rivers and near-shore coastal waters, affecting the very beaches and reefs that are centre-pieces of the vacation attractions. Land degradation also affects terrestrial and coastal ecosystems that on small islands are particularly vulnerable.
Managing land resources in the Caribbean must therefore be given paramount importance as it underpins long-term social and economic development. The challenge however has been the fact that planning for sustainable management of land resources has not featured prominently in national development policies. Local stakeholders tend not to be sufficiently empowered to engage in processes that would alleviate land degradation, and financial resources required to effectively address the problem are often very limited. More...
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The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute has been designated by CARICOM Member States as having lead responsibly in provision of technical support services to participating countries in execution of their national Medium-Sized Projects under this initiative. CEHI has been serving CARICOM member states since its inception in 1989 in various areas related to natural resources management. Please see our website at www.cehi.org.lc for more information.
This website is a clearinghouse facility to disseminate information on sustainable land management efforts in the Caribbean region. The site was established with assistance from the Global Support Unit for the project and is maintained by the Institute with technical contributions from regional partner agencies and National Focal Points.
