Water, watersheds, forests and poverty reduction: a Caribbean perspective

Small Island Developing States like the Caribbean islands face a challenge in securing watersheds and freshwater to service competing water demands from various economic sectors. Processes of prioritisation for access to water often lack equity, represent the interests of industrial demands, and marginalise interests and water needs of the poor. Regional Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) are based on traditional economic indicators and give scant attention to the poverty and forest resource nexus and therefore inadequately reflect the actual and potential role of forest resources in alleviating rural poverty.