STATUS, PRIORITIES AND NEEDS FOR

SUSTAINABLE SOIL MANAGEMENT IN

JAMAICA

Presented by Joan Brown Morrison

Rural Physical Planning Division,

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

Global Soil Partnership: Towards Prevention, Conservation and Restoration of Degraded Soils in Central America and the Caribbean

29 September - 3 October 2013

Hotel Melia Habana

La Habana, Cuba

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

Jamaica – Introduction

Status of soil resources in Jamaica

Priorities for sustainable management

of soil resources

Recommendations

MAP OF THE CARIBBEAN

JAMAICA

Jamaica, the third largest island in the

Greater Antilles with a total area of

11,244sq km is located 145km (90 miles)

south of Cuba and 190km (118 miles)

west of Haiti.

Topography –

384,000 ha have slopes less than 10º

330,000 ha moderately steep slopes

290,000 ha slopes greater than 30º

TOPOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS

Highlands - (Igneous and metamorphic

shales and conglomerate tuffs)

e.g. Lithosols and clays

Upland plateau - Limestone - terra rosa and

redzinas or black marl soil)Cockpit Country)

Alluvial plains and valleys

STATUS OF SOIL RESOURCES

Over 75 major soils (USDA, local classification) e.g. Highgate clay #43, Bonnygate stony loam #77

Geology

Slope gradient

Rainfall regime Average annual precipitation 1,980 mm 890- 5,000 m (April/May and September/ November

Organic content – vegetation & decayed material

SOIL SERIES (CLASSIFICATION)

The major soil series are grouped according to parent

materials.

Recent Alluvial soils

Old Alluvial soils

Soft White and Yellow Limestone

Purple Conglomerate Soils, Shales, Conglomerates

Tuffs and Sandstone

Soil from Granite and Porphyry

STATUS OF SOIL RESOURCES

Soil erosion – average soil loss 30 tons per ha,

illegal removal of forest, squatting,

Cultivation on steep slopes

Poor agricultural practices – slash & burn

Heavy rainfall

Over use of fertilizers

Nutrient imbalances in the soil

Competing uses for arable land (Class 1,2 &

3)- residential, industry & tourism

STATUS OF SOIL RESOURCES

Urban encroachment onto agricultural land

Bauxite mining

Quarrying – limestone, sand and tone

Poor construction practices

Workers from

RPPD collecting a

SOIL MONOLITH

for exhibition

Soil Monoliths shows the profile of the soil and the variations in soil, colour, texture. From left: Leith Hall Clay, Bundo Clay, Carron Hall Clay, Killancholly Clay, Union Hill Stony Clay

PRIORITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE SOIL

MANAGEMENT IN JAMAICA

Continuous cropping

Unregulated and or over se of fertilizers

Illegal hillside settlement – squatters

Low compliance to established building

codes

Lack of enforcement of land use regulations

and zoning guidelines

Deforestation – settlement, charcoal, lumber,

yam sticks

Landslide along roadside in rural Jamaica

Landslide in Portland

Landslide in Portland

Landslide in Portland

Landslide in Hope Pastures, St. Andrew

Storm Surge, Hurricane Ivan 2004

Caribbean Terrace

PRIORITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE

MANAGEMENT OF SOILS IN JAMAICA

Management of soil resources not

considered priority for national

development

Absence of legislative framework ; Soil

Policy Land Policy (Agricultural land Use

policy

Improve guidelines/regulations quarrying

and mining

Poor agricultural practices on steep slopes

Top down macro planning of major projects

PRIORITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE

MANAGEMENT OF SOILS IN JAMAICA

Need for protection of watersheds

Economic and social problems e.g.

unemployment and theft of agricultural

produce

Lack of coordination in spatial planning and

management of natural resources

Poor coordination in project planning and

implementation

Urban sprawl

Landslide on hillside

RECOMMENDATIONS

Strengthen institutional capacity - land

evaluation , soil survey, monitoring soil health

Improved extension services to farmers - Soil

conservation, cropping practices

Training – soil health, conservation,

engineering, land suitability, spatial planning

Watershed protection- hillside farming

Land zoning based on land utilization criteria

Updating national soil database

Agroforestry