Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

Monitoring, evaluation (and learning) is a formal objective of the IICA-EbA after the required planting. Suffice it to say though we have been looking and learning the vetiver adaptation approach from April 2021.

The two sites selected for long term observation are the Pirates Bay and Bloody Bay Riverbank installations. These exercises are of great interest for us. Aside from the performance of the vetiver we have put in, some of us are expecting training in the use drones (for photography)

And at some point and we expect to perform in all our agriculture and forestry work Before/After soil analyses.

Note This section of this report consolidates actions and events the period January 2021 to April 2022. And while it attempts to disseminate what has been observed and/or learnt, it shall report on pertinent ‘outside’ occurrences.

Pirates Bay

GPS coordinates are 11° 19’40.8“N -60° 32”57.7"W This is an unpaved path on the northern side of the village providing access to several houses (<10) as well as landside access to the highly valued bay north hidden from the village itself by a promontory.

The unpaved path in the image beneath is on that promontory and is approximately 10 metres above sea level, the hill itself topping off at 300 metres or so.

Expected MEL activity will be to acquire aerial imagery as well as ground level observations (drawings, still photos, notes as advised by FSU). It is expected the monitoring exercise will be guided by FSU and shall entail a day/hour timetable to achieve a timelapse equivalent photoset. At this time the site has been planted with 2000 slips which were doing well until a fire razed the slips.

Barcant. J (IAMovement) on April 15th 2022 on a field trip observed the fire had not destroyed the important roadside hedgerow as it was showing new leaf growth.

Figure 8: Site selected for monitoring

Bloody Bay riverbank

Location 11° 18“07.3”N -60° 37“42.1”W Of the 5200 plus slips placed here less than 500 survived the heavy September rainstorm. We will be replanting vetiver in the vicinity - that is not exactly in the very same spots on the riverbank.

Farmers nearby have advised us we can better serve everyone’s interests if we can stabilise the abutment to the bridge (100m upriver) with vetiver. Additionally this site has strong visibility potential - to enable the ‘messaging’ aspect of the project.

We will utilise the MEL regime provided by project partners.

Figure 9: Estuary in the foothills of the Main Ridge forest

Lessons and Observations

About vetiver business prospects
Government is the likeliest candidate for the budding vetiver entrepreneur. The State has a large stock of infrastructure, many in ‘Climate-risk’ areas that stand to benefit (i.e through reduced vulnerability). In practice this should be vetiver ‘engineered’ alongside Tobago’s bridges, roadside slope and coastal zones that are compromised.

This potential has already been tested by the vetiver project team in a ‘private job’. In early July, our team planted 6000 slips along the Bacolet highway at the entrance to the Dwight Yorke Stadium. They offered a 5 month maintenance plan post installation but the plants caught and grew well with only three (3) cleanings. (The moisture retention capability of the soil and its composition played a big part in that particular case).

Going foward

Into the last 8 months of the project we shall further target vetiver business prospects within the construction industry (as Government continues focus there hoping to kickstart the economy). This thrust will augment not replace handicrafting as intended.

Trivial but noteworthy

Imagery

If at all possible, participants should try to operate with a standard minimum image resolution. We suggest 3 megapixels at least (camera setting = 2048 x 1536). It assists those charged with signage and or post-project reporting.

Signage

At plots. These should be biodegradeable but as signage also contributes to visual pollution, aesthetics should factor.

More on signage

Can there be a way going foward to offer ‘own logos’ to the community? It may foster buy-in for the long haul e.g Charlotteville Climate Champions (not original. Doesnt need to be. Best if reusable)

Green thinking

The project needs to continually emphasise and or demonstrate why or how greening/resiliency building is linked to the climate change phenomenon.

Buy-in

This and future projects will benefit if we can find a way to create more buy-in (but less expectation of short term fiscal gain) from on-ground stakeholders; that is, stipends are ‘the best reward’. Perhaps by elevating this sort of detail at consultations and initial training sessions more buy-in may occur?

Radio

Not to be overlooked as a media tool for remote communities. And it comes into its own in ‘events’ such as hurricanes making it a viable aid to ‘resiliency’ (and it can replace bulk print handouts).

Harvest commemoration

‘To do’. Embed vetiver in the village harvest ceremony; as grass harvest that contributes to community strength.

Mulch

A project side objective with potential. Plan aggressively to cut/or have government workers cut, vetiver leaves [where found] for mulch. Its an easy ‘crop’ that serves to lessen ‘spray/weeding’ and also saves healthy and functional vetiver plants from the harsh attentions of government work crews.

Assisted planting

To lessen stress to ‘slips’ we’d add to the repertoire of planting tips; bamboo joints with optimally prepped soil. Which upon deployment disallows the non-optimal site (like leachate compromised banks as occurs in landfills) the chance to destroy the installation. It also allows women and or less physically blessed workers to ‘pot’ a nursery variant (essentially ensuring their ability to contribute to and benefit from the industry); seizing the niche as it were.

Backup plan for monitoring

We’d need a detailed regime to assist in the monitoring to include what to do if our drone/camera capability is compromised. Experience shows it may take more than a month to effect a replacement if the aerial flight/cam system is damaged. Are we to use stills or hand held video?

More MEL Q’s

Is there a community element to monitoring eval and learning? Do we (for example) ask particular questions over time off the smallholders? The teams?

Other prospects?

The landfill at Studley Park is a promising vetiver site due to its extensive slopes of loose soil (created by the method landfill management uses to cover solid waste and importantly/apparently not leachate rich [which may compromise plants placed there]).

Not explored this far? Regional awareness of the project participant sucesse and failures is largely invisible to us. Is this so for everybody? This is probably a good time to expand on the capacity of the groups to communicate via digital platforms (if only because COVID/Lockdowns have made virtual communication acceptable).

Action item As we have yet to see vetiver used as mulch it is Environment Tobago’s plan to cut vetiver leaves from the Charlotteville mini-nursery and place it in a farmer’s field at Bloody Bay.

Assumption

Allowing monitoring, evaluation and learning are set and proven disciplines, there is also ‘assumption’, a major and common entrepreneurial fallback. In this section we make the assumption that vetiver handicraft may not see the same success as might vetiver engineeering; as the latter gains ‘popularity’ and utility by virtue of a depressed economy (a predicted Climate Change fallout).

Figure 10: Assumption of vetiver potential

The image beneath displays a vetiver handbag on sale for TT$200. The craftsperson explained she expended three working days to gather, prepare and weave the vetiver and could not contemplate a lower price to go to market with it. (There were enquiries but no sale for the item at the December craft market).

Looking foward she would probably want to add something to raise the bag’s value in a buyer’s eye. (label & packaging?) Or, maybe the IICA-EbA project partners might direct participant focus on vetiver leaf supply; and more than we may have contemplated is necessary.

Looking foward

• To establish a sound and sustainable (even innovative) model of a vetiver nursery at Flagstaff on our leasehold.

• To understanding drone pilotage and aerial photography and possibly adding imagery to Google Maps would be nice (Get well Eben).

• Piloting a true ecosystem adaptation initiative from/with the CBF/IICA that will encompass plant and digital tech (and to include bees).

• Deeper understanding of Climate Smart Agriculture (more exposure).

• Closing a conversation with the Methodist Church Board regarding the use for Climate Smart Agriculture on their Tobago lands behind Ebenezer Primary - where we already have a vetiver installation. See image of School Principal and our NGO manager discussing the possibilities.

End note. The contents of this report and thoughts are positive contributions over the period of involvement to the IICA-EbA work. Thanks to the planters, the handicrafters, Haynes Cowie-Clarke (Coordinator), Andy Roberts (Foreman), Sean McCoon (ET) and the wider body of the IICA-EbA project team.