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Jamaica Yallahs-Hope River Watershed Management and PES Programme

Jamaica · Kingston · See the Jamaica profile

GEF/IDB project protecting Blue Mountains forests that supply 42% of Kingston's water. Over 500 ha reforested, 5,000+ farmers trained, 8% sedimentation reduction modelled; Jamaica's first formal PES scheme designed and piloted. US$13.2M total investment (2013–2021).

13.2 US$ million
Total project investment (2013-2021)
3.9 US$ million
GEF grant
8.9 US$ million
Jamaican government co-financing
500+ hectares
Watershed land reforested (2013-2021)
5,000+
Farmers trained in Sustainable Land Management (2013-2021)
8 %
Modelled reduction in downstream sedimentation
40+ %
Share of Kingston Metropolitan Area's potable water from these watersheds

Details

Maturity
Pilot
Promoter
National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA)
Period
2013–2021
Keywords
government, watershed, biodiversity, water-quality, PES

Context

The Yallahs-Hope Watershed Management Project (2013-2021) addressed land degradation in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The Hope and Yallahs River watersheds supply more than 40% of the potable water consumed by the 800,000 residents of the Kingston Metropolitan Area, yet decades of unsustainable smallholder farming had caused severe soil erosion and sedimentation.

Activities

Funded through a US$3.9 million GEF grant and US$8.9 million in Jamaican government co-financing, the project was implemented by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) alongside the Forestry Department and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA). It trained farmers in Sustainable Land Management through Farmer Field Schools and also designed and piloted Jamaica's first formal Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme in the Yallahs and Hope catchments.

Results

Over five years, more than 500 hectares of degraded watershed land were reforested and over 5,000 farmers in 13 communities across St Thomas and St Andrew parishes were trained. The terminal evaluation documented an 8% reduction in downstream sedimentation directly attributable to the Farmer Field School programme, based on hydrological modelling of measured land-use change.

Conclusions

The 8% sedimentation figure reflects modelling projections calibrated to observed land-use change rather than independently audited physical measurements, and the scale of ongoing formal PES cash payments to farmers post-project has not been publicly reported.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k) — US$13.2 million total: US$3.9 million GEF grant plus US$8.9 million Jamaican government co-financing, 2013-2021.
Time to results
Medium (1–3 years) — Project ran 2013-2021 (8 years); post-project PES payment continuity unreported.
Staffing & skills
National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), lead implementer, Forestry Department, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Funded by GEF and the Government of Jamaica

Conditions for success

  • Farmer Field Schools used to train 5,000+ farmers in Sustainable Land Management across 13 communities
  • Multi-agency implementation (NEPA, Forestry Department, RADA)
  • Combined grant and government co-financing

Common failure modes

  • 8% sedimentation reduction is a modelled estimate, not an independently audited physical measurement
  • Scale of ongoing formal PES cash payments to farmers after project close has not been publicly reported

Where it fits

Governance type
government-implemented, GEF-funded project
Scale
sub-national (two watersheds/parishes)
Income level
upper-middle-income

Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

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