The South Andros Handicraft and Manufacturing Association (SAHMA) officially launched the South Andros Coastal Restoration, Land Degradation and Coconut Project on April 10 at the South Andros Craft Centre in Motion Town, Long Bay Cays, South Andros.
The initiative is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"We are very happy to be here today," said GEF National Co-ordinator in The Bahamas Deon Stewart. "It didn't go without a lot of hard work on behalf of SAHMA and the community of South Andros, and also on behalf of the committee that actually reviews and improves projects here in The Bahamas.
"The GEF Small Grants Programme likes to work with communities like the South Andros community to produce what we intend to show as, more or less, demonstration projects, but demonstration projects that improve the environment, the type of demonstration projects that add to the sustainable livelihood of a community."
Representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in The Bahamas Manuel Messina, said that when his organization came to South Andros, it saw the enthusiasm, determination and willingness of Androsians to work together.
"In many communities in The Bahamas we find many people who want to do things; but many people want to do things on their own and sometimes it's hard to get the community to work together," Messina said.
"I think that (unity) is the key and that is what I have seen so far here and I hope that continues." Also partnering in the initiative are the Bahamas National Trust, IICA, the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, South Andros High School, the Ministry of Environment and Housing's Forestry Department, the South Andros Chamber of Commerce, the South Andros Farmers Association, the South Andros District Council of Local Government and Nature's Hope for South Andros.
Bahamas High Commissioner to CARICOM and Member of Parliament for South Andros Picewell Forbes applauded the work of all involved in the implementation of the project.
"I want to encourage those who want to try to make our community a better one," he said. South Andros District Administrator Stephanie Rahming said that she welcomes the opportunities that the project will bring to the community, especially in regards to "economic empowerment".
"South Androsians, this is a community project," Rahming said. "I appeal to you, South Andros, let us take ownership of this project. We must buy into this project.
This is for us as South Androsians and the benefits are wide and far-reaching." According to GEF in officially released information, the project is for the "Restoration of the native coconut habitat through promoting sustainable agriculture and improved community livelihoods through the production of coconut craft and products."
SAHMA Public Relations representative Edmund Rahming Sr. said the project will be implemented over a 15-month period and is intended to address the issue of coastal erosion and land degradation of 25,500 square feet of a coastal area in Long Bay Cays, South Andros, where the harvesting of coconuts was once an economic contributor to the local community.
"The project will restore this coastal site by the removal of all invasive species and the replanting of native coastal-friendly plant species including coconut, to help stabilize the coastline and re-establish the coconut grove," he said.
"Resources from the restored area are expected to reinvigorate and enhance the local cottage industries of charcoal and agro-processing, resulting ultimately in sustainable livelihoods for community members. "The coal-making industry, by extension, is a very good thing for this community," Forbes commented.
"Every weekend there are 'hundreds' of grill-outs going on around Nassau and we are right next door to New Providence." GEF stated that the planning grant sought to identify the most appropriate type of coconut species suitable for The Bahamas, as well as the identification of species which ensure that coastal erosion does not continue after the replanting of the coconut palm trees.
The process will identify appropriate manufacturing and management strategies to ensure sustainability after the project implementation phase, GEF added. Also, integrating the restoration/rehabilitation of the eroded coastal areas component into the overall project will direct greater focus on the land degradation component of the project.
This integration will address the matter of erosion and how it has affected the coconut grove generally. Further, the project seeks to address this in the areas being looked at for the restoration and replanting of coconut trees.
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