A resident of Bataka, in the Kalinago Territory, Romaine decided to get involved in the billion-dollar cocoa industry after college and is now the proud owner of 400+ cocoa trees and over 70 mahogany trees that expand over his farm. When he learnt of the project, he decided that he wanted to get involved with this worthwhile initiative.

“I saw the project on Facebook, and I knew it was a good initiative.  I had extra mahogany trees at my nursery so I decided to donate, so that more “windbreakers” could be planted to hold up the soil.” said Romaine. Reaching out to the UNDP Dominica Project office via Facebook, Romaine took the first step in supporting his community and playing an active part in helping Dominica become the first climate resilient country in the world. His donation adds to the 2500 trees contributed under the community reforestation component of the project. A total of 10,000 trees are airmarked to be planted by the end of the project.

After Hurricane Maria, the landscape of Dominica was severely impacted and there was an urgent need for reforestation to protect livelihoods and augment critical water catchment areas. Component Two of the project focused on providing additional trees, community nurseries and educating and training persons on how to find a balance where people and planet can thrive. “We are grateful for persons like Romaine who are moved by the work we are doing and actively want to get involved and contribute,” said UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Resident Representative, Limya Eltayeb. “This donation is about more than just trees; it is a testimony that our work is making an impact and encouraging positive change. We are grateful for the trust in UNDP from both the government and individuals in the community as we continue to support resilience building. But we cannot do it alone and with the support of people like Romaine, we can see lasting positive change.”

Romaine plans to continue his efforts to support his community and encourage the youth to get involved in agriculture. In addition to his own expansion of his farm to include various species of cocoa, he also wants to use his farm as a practical plot and train other young people in his community in different aspects of agriculture.UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, in partnership with governments and stakeholders, remains dedicated to the advancement of inclusive and sustainable development throughout the region. This project is part of the work of UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean in its commitment to promoting economic diversification, job creation and resilience with the "Blue Economy for Green Islands" vision