In La Sagesse, Grenada, residents know a thing or two about climate change. Those living in the area have been victims of unpredictable and heavy rainfall, all by-products of this environmental phenomenon. 2018 saw flooding as a result of the heavy rains, negatively impacting the living conditions and livelihoods of families in the community.

Glena Bain, a wife and mother of two was no exception. A farmer for the last two and a half years, Glena got her start thanks to her beloved uncle. Utilising her 5-acre plot, she planted a variety of crops including corn and melons. However, her yields were reversed when the heavy rainfall began. There was no properly functioning mechanism to control the water from the rainfall and as a result, Glena’s farm was totally flooded, suffering a loss to all of her crops.

This is where the UN Development Programme’s Japan-Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (UNDP J-CCCP) supported was needed. Under the La Sagesse Flood Mitigation Project, J-CCCP supported the community via the provision of a check dam to improve the area’s drainage system, aimed at lowering the incidence of flooding. The project also facilitated the creation of a bridge for persons to better travel the farmlands and storage facilities which would protect materials, equipment and agricultural produce from weather related damages.

These changes have meant a lot for the farmers, especially Glena. She is back to her best, doing what she enjoys and even expanding her acreage from 5 to 7. She says this was only made possible because of the new drainage system. Although her uncle is no longer alive, she has no plans to stop her agricultural work. As Glena expands her variety of crops, she will be using the extra income to better support her family and meet regional farming standards.