Bridgetown, Barbados — 5 November 2025 – The Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM), in collaboration with the Government of Barbados through the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security, showcased significant accomplishments of the SOILCARE Project during the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate (GCF) Focal Points Meeting held in Barbados from October 30–31, 2025.
SOILCARE Phase I, funded by the GEF and Barbados’ contribution under its STAR allocation, and implemented with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has achieved measurable improvements in land restoration, sustainable agriculture, and climate resilience across several intervention sites in Barbados.
GEF/GCF Focal Points from the participating countries were given the opportunity to see firsthand how the project has been rehabilitating degraded lands, promoting climate-smart farming technologies, enhancing food security, and safeguarding vital ecosystems at two Intervention Sites in Barbados: Codrington College in St. John and the Soil Conservation Unit in Haggatts, St. Andrew.
“While workshops and exchanging ideas in a room are valuable, it is equally important to take everyone out into the field to see whether what we discuss is actually happening in reality. It also allows those who work more on policy and planning—who may not be in the field daily—to experience what the work looks like and understand what we ultimately produce at the end of the day,” explained Steve Devonish, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy of Barbados.
Barbados has consistently shown strong support for PISLM, and the SOILCARE Project Phase I is achieving tremendous success in the country. The visit provided GCF/GEF representatives with an opportunity to hear directly from practitioners in the field—how they carry out their work and how the project has supported them.
“For projects like these, the most important insights come from the community, and giving these individuals a chance to speak with us is truly valuable,” Devonish added.
The field visit was part of the meeting, which was held in response to decisions made at the 4th Ministerial Council of the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management, hosted in Grenada on June 18, 2025—where Ministers were encouraged to support implementing a stronger regional framework to ensure countries can effectively access and leverage global climate and environmental funding effectively.
