Antigua and Barbuda’s proactive efforts to address Land Degradation

Serious measures are being implemented by Antigua and Barbuda to protect the territory from the pressing matter of land degradation. Local technicians had a brief on updated sustainable land management tools during a recent workshop.

This training was conducted at the Inland Revenue Training Room and aimed at attaining the future sustainable Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). It was conducted under the auspices of the CSIDS SOILCARE Phase 1 project under Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM).

Head of the island nation, PM Gaston Browne is evident of the push for an environmentally sustainable island nation, primarily through the promotion of renewable energy. He also has encouraged the governmental administration’s continued support of projects that equip local professionals with contemporary essentials.

The mentioned project provides participants with new knowledge to evaluate the productivity of the land and ways for the land desertification recovery. This training is in line with Browne’s vision of having the country stand tall especially when dealing with issues such as land degradation.

These sessions were conducted by Dr Cesar Luis Garcia who specializes in sustainable land management. This information was gathered in an interactive learning manner whereby participants were trained to use Google Earth Engine (GEE) to analyze satellite data in real time.

The training offered a technical dimension of how to monitor vegetation cover, soil and land production. It is for this reason that such skills are essential in defining areas that require restoration and the right conservation techniques that should be applied.

The need for the campaign was emphasized by Head of Officials during the opening of the workshop. “Agriculture cannot be practiced using traditional means of low production, hence this mission and vision statement”, said Gregory Bailey, Director of Agriculture.

The availability of high-resolution data through GEE is a revolutionary step for land management and use.

The project demonstrates the strengthening and Innovation of Antigua and Barbuda as a leader among Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It also enhances the country’s capacity to meet international performance goals such as Sustainable Development Goal 15.3.

Having equipped the institutions with proper tools and recruiting competent human resources, Antigua and Barbuda is setting itself as a model among the Caribbean countries for sustainable land management and improve the stewardship of the environment.