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