[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Kuru Kururu Farmers Crops and Livestock Association (KKFCLA) is implementing a project that seeks to address the impacts of climate change being faced by the farming community.
Agriculture is the main economic activity of the community and this activity is dependent on rain fed water supply. Since there is no irrigation scheme and with the unpredictability of rainfall brought on by climate change, the community is taking action to secure their livelihood.
The project will adopt rain water harvesting techniques combined with appropriate irrigation and crop production practices to mitigate the effects of climate change and to address sustainable crop production.
Through this initiative, the group will establish rooftop and ground catchment structures to capture and store rainwater, cultivate twenty (20) acres of pineapple using drip irrigation techniques and bio-degradable plastic mulch, and disseminate information to the wider farming communities through exchange visits, seminars, field visits and educational tours.
This G$20million project is being funded by the UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme with in-kind support from KKFCLA. The UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme provides grants directly to Civil Society Organizations, including Community-Based Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations to design and implement projects that will bring environmental and livelihood benefits to communities.
In addition, the Small Grants Programme seeks to generate sustainable livelihoods, reduce poverty, and create community empowerment.
The community of KuruKururu is located 36km from Georgetown and the KKFCLA, which has been in existence for over a decade, brings together the farming community where they share information on farming practices.
The main crops produced by the community are eddoes, coconuts, citrus including oranges, limes, tangerines and lemons, pak-choy, cabbage, and bora. The community also rears poultry livestock and honey bees. Notably, the membership of the KKFCLA comprises a majority of women.
The Small Grants Programme is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
