The Small Grants Programme - Best Management Practices for Agriculture is slated to begin in 2007. This activity is under the auspices of the AMEP Sub-programme.

Background

Annex IV to the LBS Protocol, on agricultural non-point sources, calls for the development of national plans that include education, training and awareness programmes for agricultural workers on “structural and non-structural best management practices”. The activities already completed or under way by CEP include CEP Technical Report No. 41, which surveyed best management practices currently in use in the region and the GEF project (described above) on Reducing Pesticide Run-off. This project will implement small-scale demonstration activities on the appropriate use of fertilizers, alternative crop cultivation methods and environmentally friendly livestock management techniques.

Objective(s)

The objective of this project will be to pilot innovative practices through practical application and disseminate the results to other countries and localities of the Wider Caribbean. Under this project, AMEP proposes to operate a small grants programme (maximum amount of US$5,000) to assist in the implementation of small pilot demonstration projects. Participants will be expected to provide a counterpart contribution (in-kind or cash) and provide a project outline and summary for regional dissemination. At the end of the project period, a summary document will be prepared and the results will be available via the CEP/GPA Clearinghouse node.

Activities

The project will enter a full implementation phase during the 2006-2007 biennium with EARTH University being responsible for coordinating the programme. There will be a continuous review of project proposals and signature of agreements with national project implementing agencies, following which, the national implementing agencies will proceed to develop their projects according to the agreed workplans.