Climate change is likely to have adverse effects on the agriculture sector in Jamaica. Increase in the intensity and frequency of climate-related natural hazards, escalating rainfall variability, droughts and floods combined with fragile ecosystems and coastal zones, and agriculture-dependent livelihoods all contribute to Jamaica's overall vulnerability to climate change. Jamaica's Vision 2030 highlights these vulnerabilities as a threat to sustainable development, and provides the framework within which corrective and preventive actions should be undertaken. Climate change adaptation is one of the outcomes of the Vision 2030 Jamaica-National Development Plan. In the context of this plan, there is need for more analysis of the likely climate change impacts in the short and medium term, along with identification of agricultural adaptation strategies. These need to be understood in order to inform policy interventions and agriculture support institutions. Within this context, the objectives of the study are: (i) to review current knowledge on vulnerability, past trends in climate, and impacts of climate variability and change on agriculture sector, and (ii) to explore technical and policy alternatives in order to cope with and adapt to impacts of climate variability and change more effectively. The study identified what the potential impacts are, considered what interventions are appropriate, and if and where they should occur. The scope of the study focused on broader policy directions and investment priorities in relation to climate change adaptation. The first two chapters of this book present overall background on the agriculture sector and vulnerability context. Chapter 2 specifically presents vulnerability of agro-ecosystems and food production systems in both temporal and special dimensions. Chapter 3 elaborates on the nature of climate variability and expected future changes in climate. The past trends in climate were described based on observation, analysis and also local perception of the communities. Chapter 4 presents the results of analysis of past extreme climate events on agriculture, ecosystems, biodiversity, and fisheries and aquaculture. This chapter also gives an overview of the impacts of climate change on fragile ecosystems, crop suitability, land degradation, water resources, biodiversity, fisheries and aquaculture, and the economy. Efforts to advance climate change adaptation should focus on support for decision-making and capacity bui ...
