The document discusses the Vetiver Education & Empowerment Project (VEEP) model and the Vetiver System (VS) in the Caribbean. VEEP is a model for introducing VS to communities through establishing vetiver nurseries, technical training, VS interventions, and developing green businesses. The VS utilizes vetiver grass, which has a deep root system for soil and water conservation. Projects have implemented VS across the Caribbean for erosion control, slope stabilization, coastal protection, and phytoremediation.

1. The Vetiver Education & Empowerment
Project (VEEP) model
& the Vetiver System (VS)
in the Caribbean
www.iamovement.org | www.vetivertt.com
Jonathan Barcant – IWEco 17th Partners Webinar
Tuesday 18th January 2022

2. Contents
• Intro to IAMovement + Vetiver TT EES Ltd
• The Vetiver Education & Empowerment Project (VEEP) Model
• Projects in T&T and the Caribbean
• The Vetiver System (VS) – a few more things
• The Vetiver Network West Indies (TVNWI)

3. -2016
2015-
2017-
2016-
2018-
-2016
Projects, Tools, Skillsets
Climate
Mitigation
Climate Adaptation
&
& Networks
YEARS
of

4. What is Vetiver Grass and the Vetiver System (VS)?

5. “VEEP is a tried and tested model or approach to
introduce the Vetiver System (VS) to communities
where it can benefit”
What is the Vetiver Education &
Empowerment Project (VEEP)?

6. The Vetiver Education & Empowerment Project (VEEP) Model
• Identification of key project implementing partner(s)/
individual(s)
• Selection of project participants
• Establishment of vetiver nurseries
• Carrying out of technical project training modules (classroom and
field)
• Project site selections and carrying out of for Vetiver System (VS-
EbA) interventions
• Carrying out vetiver handicraft making and developing training
• Co-creation of educational material with the local project
leads/NGO (e.g. project brochure)
• Production of short educational videos and/or high-quality
documentary film
• Green business development and livelihood opportunities

7. Vetiver Education & Empowerment Project (VEEP)

8. Vetiver Education &
Empowerment Project (VEEP)

9. Vetiver Education &
Empowerment Project (VEEP)

11. IWEco TT Rehabilitation of Quarries (ROQ) Project

12. GEF SGP UNDP and EMA-IWEco
Rehabilitation of Quarries (ROQ)

14. BOV Building on
Vetiver!
Trinidad & Tobago
CASE STUDIES:
1. Coastal Erosion
2. Quarry Rehabilitation (topsoil
regeneration and companion species)
3. Infrastructure Protection
(geotechnical)
4. Contaminated water treatment
(phytoremediation)
5. Community property protection
6. Clay stabilization
7. Watershed runoff (groundwater
recharge and flooding)
8. Riverbank stabilization
9. Mitigating land-based pollution
1

19. “Strengthening Coastal and Marine Climate Resilience through Upland and
Coastal Eco-System Base Adaptation and Community Engagement”

20. “Strengthening Coastal and Marine Climate Resilience through Upland and
Coastal Eco-System Base Adaptation and Community Engagement”
Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EbA)
“VEEP/VS-EbA solutions”

21. VEEP VS TRAINING PROGRAMME GOALS
To ensure that:
1. Participants have an in-depth understanding about vetiver
grass and the Vetiver System (VS), and wider community
awareness about the benefits of vetiver also grows
2. Participants gain hands on training experience and capacity
with vetiver plant preparation, propagation and installation
according to Vetiver System (VS) best practices
3. VS interventions commenced or completed at first set of
identified project sites
4. VS field team trained and outfitted to move forward with
installation and maintenance programme during the
remainder of 2021
5. Greater understanding by all on green business opportunities
and foundations laid for VS green business development

22. Recognition of VEEP

31. Documentary film
Filmmakers: Dylan Quesnel
Lawrence Dupuis
“Metiver” in Paramin (2017)
Taking Root in Canaries (2018)

32. Documentary film
Filmmakers: Dylan Quesnel
Lawrence Dupuis
REGENERATION (2020)
A Thin Green Line in Grenada (2021)

33. “A cost-effective green infrastructure solution to
tackle a wide range of soil and water related
challenges”
What is the Vetiver System (VS)?
Watch short introductory video here to learn about vetiver and the
Vetiver System (VS):
https://vimeo.com/283084349/893e726b2a

34. The Vetiver System (VS) refers to the correct
implementation of vetiver grass through a systematic
approach to achieve these benefits
This entails the most effective and successful methods for:
• Project planning and design depending on needs
• Land preparation
• Contour plotting and correct installation
• Inter-cropping
• Maintenance during establishment and long term upkeep
of the hedgerows
• Integration of other vetiver uses for further socio-
economic benefits and to support VS application
sustainability

35. The Vetiver System (VS): Facts + Benefits
✓ Vetiver roots can grow up to 10-ft deep in first 2 years
✓ Deep and fibrous root system make for powerful soil stabilization tool,
proven to increase shear strength by up to 40%
✓ As a commercial solution, VS can replace alternative hard-engineered
infrastructure (walls, rock baskets) in certain cases and presents approx.
cost ($) savings of 80%
✓ Vetiver grass certified non-invasive by USDA (must be propagated and
installed manually and maintained during establishment)
✓ Powerful phytoremediator for treatment of contaminated water/soil
(heavy metals, nutrients, etc.)
✓ Requires propagation and planting by hand (cannot be spread by seed);
and therefore requires strong manual-human inputs, and through this
creates livelihood opportunities

36. How does the Vetiver System (VS) work as a
soil/water bioengineering tool?

39. Natural terracing occurs

40. Erosion & Sediment
Control

41. Brian Lara Stadium
(incorrect vetiver
installation)

42. Can absorb
very large
amounts of
nutrients N, P
and organic
contaminants
and thrive in
very toxic
conditions,
absorbing
heavy metals
Phytoremediation
(treatment of contaminated lands and water)
Heavy Metals
Arsenic (As)
Cadmium (Cd)
Copper (Cu)
Chromium (Cr)
Lead (Pb)
Mercury (Hg)
Nickel (Ni)
Selenium (Se)
Zinc (Zn)

43. Soil & Water Conservation
✓ Each hedgerow halts runoff to vel = 0 m/s
✓ Cumulatively can change overall hydrology
✓ Promotes Water Conservation & Ground
Water Recharge

44. Paramin
(Trinidad)

45. Paramin
(Trinidad)

48. Residential
Projects

49. Residential
Projects

50. Residential Projects

51. Commercial Projects – Energy Campus,
Trinidad

52. Coastal Protection Works, Quinam Beach, Trinidad

53. Coastal Protection
Works, Quinam
Beach, Trinidad

54. Commercial Works (Sapote Clays)

55. Commercial Works (Sapote Clays)

56. Commercial Works (Sapote Clays)

57. Slope stabilization in clay soils in Trinidad

58. Water Management Facility in Trinidad

64. La Grecia, Costa Rica

65. Landscaping

66. Landscaping

67. Landscaping

68. Landfill Leachate Pond
Embankment Stabilization

69. Landfill Leachate Pond Embankment Stabilization

70. Contaminating Landfill Leachate

71. Anse La Raye Quarry – Saint Lucia

75. Petite Soufriere, Dominica

79. Kalinago Territory – Dominica

80. Dominica:
Landslides and
floods triggered by
Hurricane Maria
(18 September,
2017)
Hurricane Maria
‘triggered 9,960
landslides in
Dominica’

81. Cooke Landfill - Antigua

82. Cooke Landfill -
Antigua

84. Charlotteville - Tobago

86. GRENADA – GEF SGP Vetiver System (VS) Project 2020
Crochu Primary School 4H Club Agriculture Plot Demo

87. GRENADA – GEF SGP Vetiver System (VS) Project 2020
Intro to handicrafts with Mr Glasgow at Ocean Edge Farm

88. Leaves drying for handicraft making

91. Vetiver
Handicrafts

93. Haiti | Dominican Republic

94. Check dams

96. New regional web platform was launched to facilitate knowledge sharing and
stakeholder outreach relating to the Vetiver System (VS) and VEEP in the Caribbean
www.tvnwi.org
www.vetiver.org

97. www.vetivergrenada.com

98. Selecting the location for a vetiver nursery
❖ Quantity of land available
❖ Topography of the land
❖ Vehicular access to the nursery
❖ Abundance of sun
❖ Type of soil
❖ Existing vegetation
❖ Proximity of nursery from caretaker or nursery manager
❖ Water access for irrigation if necessary

101. New white roots emerging after 2 days soaking in water

102. Digging up vetiver clumps from a traditional nursery

103. CREATING A NURSERY
If land space is limited, then these numbers can change.
However to create the most effective nursery for large
scale, for easy access and so plants can bush out fully,
these are the recommended spacing between plants
❖Spacing between
rows: 1 m or 3 ft
❖Plant spacing in
each row: 50 cm or
1.5 ft

104. ❖ 10 m = 10 rows
❖ 15 m = 30 plants
per row
❖ 10 x 30 = 300
starter plants
❖ After one (1)
year, how many
new slips can be
produced?
❖ 300 starters x 50
slips per clump =
15,000 slips
❖ After two (2) years, how many new slips
can be produced?
❖ 300 starters x 100 slips per mature
clump = 30,000 slips
Small Private or Community Nursery

105. Pre-establishing plants in trays or bags

106. A-Frame Tool for
Contour Mapping

107. Vetiver TT costing ($TTD)
Vetiver System (VS) cost - less per sq ft than rolled lawn grass

108. Thank you!
www.tvnwi.org | www.iamovement.org | www.vetivertt.com