KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Jamaica’s efforts to strengthen resilience against climate change are being assisted through implementation of the J$829.3 million (US$6.8 million) Improving Climate Data and Information Management Project (ICDIMP).

The project, which comprises phase two of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR II), is being rolled out by the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s (PIOJ), with grant support from the World Bank through the Climate Investment Fund (CIF).

It is one of five projects under Jamaica’s Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR), and aims to improve the quality of data collected and used by public and private sector stakeholders at the local and national levels.

It involves climate resilient planning and hydromet information services development at a cost of approximately J$168.3 million (US$1.38 million); a climate change public education and awareness campaign, targeting behavioural change at a cost of J$88.4 million (US$725,000); and project management and evaluation to cost approximately J$82.9 million (US$680,000).

One of the primary beneficiaries is the Meteorological Service (Met Service), which is slated to receive a new Doppler weather radar at a cost of approximately J$487.8 million (US$4 million).

The new radar, which is expected to be acquired during the 2016/17 fiscal year, will replace the existing equipment at the Met Service’s Cooper’s Hill, St Andrew division, which the agency has utilised for the past 16 years.

The support also includes renovation of the office, training of officers and as well as programmes focusing on quality assurance.

The Met Service Division, the Water Resources Authority (WRA), and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) will also benefit from a number of other provisions.

These include: 26 all-weather stations; 25 automatic recording rain gauges; 14 soil moisture probes; 11 groundwater loggers; eight agro-meteorological stations; and one sea level tide monitoring station.