THE Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ), which has funded nearly 1,200 environmental and child development projects for the last 17 years, is at a crossroads – it needs a new source of capital before its current resources are depleted in the next three years.

Funded from a special “debt for nature swap” arrangement between the United States and Jamaican governments, the EFJ is the Caribbean’s largest agency making grants to civil society organisations to implement projects in every part of Jamaica.

Under the debt reduction agreement, the US government forgave the interest on a portion of Jamaica’s debt to that country, on the basis that the funds be used specifically for environmental and child development projects, and implemented by non-governmental, community-based and faith-based organisations, as well as educational institutions.

But having funded 1,184 projects since its establishment in 1991, and 45 projects this year, the EFJ has commenced preparatory work towards negotiating a similar debt swap, while carefully monitoring its funds to ensure that they do not completely dry up by 2012.

“The EFJ has done so much for Jamaica that it would be a shame to see it die,” the organisation’s chairman, Dr Dale Webber told Environment Watch on Monday.

However, he and his nine-member board are not about to let this happen, and have commenced the detailed background work to enable the Jamaican government to make the case to their US counterparts for another similar debt reduction pact to be agreed on in order to take the EFJ into the next 15 to 20 years.

Having started with US$20 million in 1991, EFJ’s account is down to J$540 million, from which it hopes to disburse between J$150 and J$200 million on projects per year, thus exhausting the amount in three years.

The chairman is proud of the EFJ’s achievements over the years.

According to information about the foundation, research and pilot projects in particular have served to influence government policy and programmes, for example, the Ministry of Education’s Early Childhood Development programme; the Wigton Wind Farm influenced by the success of an EFJ pilot project at Munro; the move to solarisation in schools, following on the example of the EFJ-funded model at Irwin High School in St James.

Webber cites the Bernard van Leer roving caregiver project, and the Schools Environmental Programme, implemented by Jamaica Environment Trust as success stories among EFJ grantees.

But with all its achievements, the EFJ has not been without flaws.

“EFJ put quite a bit of money into Walkerswood on the basis that it would help the farmers and community and turn around with products that would make a difference on the shelves. It turned out that we lost on that one,” he admitted.

It also lost about $45 million in its investment in Walkerswood, a St Ann-based spice-making company which supplied local and overseas markets.

With greater due diligence, Walkerswood could have been a tremendous success, Webber insists.

Looking to the future, he is encouraged by the $180 billion in grants over the years which have had profound social impact on the country.

The EFJ hopes to negotiate new funding with other sources, including the Canadian Government, the European Union and private sector foundations.

“If you give us the money, we promise that we will make it work in the way that you and the country need it to work,” the chairman said.