The document discusses the major challenges and opportunities for sustainable soil management in Grenada, highlighting issues such as soil erosion, declining fertility, and inadequate institutional frameworks. It outlines priorities and actions to address these challenges, including the establishment of a soil management unit, development of policies and guidelines, and public awareness initiatives. Concluding remarks emphasize the need for comprehensive legislation and coordinated efforts to promote sustainable soil practices.

1. WORKSHOP OF THE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR
CENTRAL AMERICA, MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN:
TOWARDS A REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ON
SUSTAINABLE SOIL MANAGEMENT
Priorities towards sustainable soil management:
Challenges, Opportunities, Priorities, National Policies and Institutional
Mechanisms
Country: GRENADA
By: DANIEL LEWIS, CHIEF AGRICULTURAL OFFICER,
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, LANDS, FORESTRY, FISHERIES
& THE ENVIRONMENT
1-2 June 2015, La Habana, Cuba

2. Major challenges of soil resources
Biophysical
 Type of challenges and area affected
 Soil loss due to water erosion – landslides, land slippage
etc; poor drainage systems
 Decline in natural soil fertility – insufficient use of organic
manures
 Decline in soil life (especially earthworm) due to overuse
of agrochemicals and underuse of organic matter
 High soil acidity.
 low uptake of soil Phosphorus
 Increase in soil pest infestation

3. Major challenges of soil resources
Policy and Institutions
 Analysis of major issues and suggested solutions
 inadequate institutional arrangements for soil management
– lack of a personnel replacement plan
 lack of national policy on soil use and management
 lack of overarching soil erosion prevention and control
legislation
 inadequate interagency coordination on soil use and
management
 Insufficient training on soil management
 Lack of comprehensive soil analysis
 Inadequate soil cover especially in food crop systems

4. Opportunities towards sustainable
soil management
 Based on available resources
 Improve the accuracy and currency of soil data
 improve public awareness and knowledge the value of
soil and the importance of proper use and management
 encourage natural soil fertility enrichment
 Based on current and future actions
 strengthen policy and legislative frameworks
 create incentives that would encourage sustainable use
of soils
 implement comprehensive soil conservation programs

5. Priorities for sustainable soil
management
 Short and medium term activities
 establish sites demonstrating sustainable soil management
 conduct soil management training
 develop and implement soil management public awareness programs
 conduct a survey to establish baseline on gully erosion, landslides and land
slippage
 create a soil management unit/agency
 develop chemical soil fertilizer use and management guidelines
 develop soil erosion control guidelines
 Long-term activities
 develop soil erosion control legislation
 develop sustainable soil use and management policy
 conduct a detailed national soil survey
 establish a national soil analytical laboratory
 establish a sustainable soil management fund

6. Concluding remarks
 Summary of main challenges
• Lack of policies regarding soil Use & Management
• Absence of pertinent Legislation with respect to soil erosion
prevention and control
• Limited Human Resource in Soil Science
• Infrastructure (Absence of Soil Analytical Laboratory)
• Lack of general awareness on sustainable soil management
 Suggestions to achieve sustainable soil management
• Enactment of appropriate legislations
• Development of Policies with respect to sustainable soil management
• Endorse and implement the Regional Soil Alliance programme of
Sustainable Soil Management.

7. An area in Carriacou showing acute erosion

8. An area highlighting serious drainage problem contributing
consequently to erosion

9. A denuded hill side. Years of acute erosion has left the area very
impoverished

10. Illegal dumping continues to be a challenge in in soil management

11. Frequent bush fires (predominantly caused by farmers) are
contributing significantly to major soil erosion and fertility depletion

12. A major fire on a hillside in Grenada

13. Land slides a frequent occurrence following heavy rainfall

14. Beach erosion caused largely as result of sand mining is a
major threat to soil loss as the sea continues to move inland

15. Sand Mining is positively correlated with beach erosion which is
impacting on soil erosion also (the eastern part of the island and
Carriacou are particularly impacted negatively). Road infrastructure is
also affected significantly

16. Priorities and Needs For Sustainable Soil Management in
Grenada