FAO teams up with the Ministry of Agriculture in Saint Kitts and Nevis to host two Inception Workshops on Supporting Land Degradation Neutrality

The workshops aimed at boosting the island’s sustainable land management and climate resilience

– The Food and Agriculture Organization

of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and funding support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), recently hosted two Inception Workshops for the “Supporting Land Degradation Neutrality in St. Kitts and Nevis” Project Preparation Grant. The workshop marks the beginning of a collaborative process to design a full-scale project that will enhance the resilience of the island’s landscapes, safeguard ecosystems, and support communities in adopting sustainable practices to reduce land degradation.

The workshop brought together 49 participants, 33 from Saint Kitts and 16 from Nevis

comprised of government officials, technical experts, and key stakeholders to initiate the project’s design phase. The initiative aims to strengthen national efforts toward sustainable land management, climate resilience, and the achievement of Land Degradation Neutrality in line with international commitments.

At the workshop in Saint Kitts, Hon. Senator Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable

Development, Environment and Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment, delivered the opening remarks, noting that, “Land, humanity, culture, heritage and progress are interconnected and interdependent and for Saint Kitts and Nevis, guided by our Sustainable Island State Agenda (SISA), we must accomplish land management with sustainability and considerations of the present and future generations at the fore.  That is why this supporting Land Degradation Neutrality Project is timely, important and truly welcomed as a means of solution-building”.  She added, “With the materialization of the project's anticipated outputs, our nation will be taking some necessary steps forward and leaning into actions that are needs- specific, community-focused and nature-based.  I use this opportunity to express sincere appreciation to our international partners, the GEF and FAO for your agencies' continued support”.

Meanwhile, in Nevis, Ms Rhosyll Milnes Gaskell, Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of

Agriculture, delivered remarks on behalf of the island. She noted that, “A project like this can support us in multiple ways from strengthening policy and institutional frameworks to take effective action against land degradation, to promoting integrated management of land, forest, and water resources. It can also help reduce sedimentation, pollution, and flooding in lowland and coastal areas through better upland management. Additionally, the project encourages environmentally sustainable, income-generating activities such as ecotourism; builds local capacity to adapt to climate change and reduce vulnerability; and fosters the exchange of best

practices and lessons learned across sectors and regions to enhance overall implementation.”

Mrs Neila Bobb-Prescott, GEF Task Manager and Climate Finance Specialist with FAO

Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean, who participated in both workshops, emphasized that, “The primary objective of projects like this is to enhance the quality of life for all. Through this initiative, FAO’s experts will support the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis in advancing toward their vision of a more prosperous and sustainable future.”

During the workshop, the participants reviewed the GEF-approved project concept and

discussed important matters such as ongoing national initiatives and stakeholder engagement, implementation and execution arrangements, the project preparation process and co-financing requirements, and a roadmap for next steps in project design and development.

FAO technical experts, including Dr Cruz Ferro Vazquez, Soil Health and Sustainable Soil Management Consultant, and Ms. Lili Ilieva, Natural Resources Management Officer from the FAO Investment Centre in Rome, Italy, presented the project design and guided discussions on sustainable land and soil management approaches.