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From sustainable bamboo forests to an app disrupting healthcare, discover exciting innovations from Jamaica
Reflecting our global Springwise readership, we explore the innovation landscape and freshest thinking from a new country each week. To celebrate Independence Day in Jamaica, we are highlighting three innovations from the Caribbean nation…
Global Innovation Index ranking: 74th
Climate targets: 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
Impact of climate change – Jamaica is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with the country’s farmers particularly at risk. Growers are struggling to keep plots productive as rainfall levels decline. The Jamaican government and organisations like the UN are attempting to mitigate the impact by providing water tanks, irrigation systems, and farmer education.
Loss of native forests – Jamaica is home to rich and biodiverse mountain forests, but these unique habitats are under threat from climate change and more frequent extreme weather events. The spread of invasive species introduced by humans is also exacerbating the problem. Mock orange trees from Australia are particularly damaging to native species.
Coral reef loss – The Caribbean waters around Jamaica were once home to beautiful and flourishing coral reefs. Today, however, these reefs have been damaged by overfishing, pollution, and climate change. Scientists have recently mapped Caribbean reefs in order to identify those most likely to survive as the planet heats up.
Three exciting innovations from Jamaica
Photo source Eric BARBEAU on Unsplash
CREATING A SUSTAINABLE BAMBOO INDUSTRY IN JAMAICA
Bamboo may not be the first thing you think of when you think of Jamaica – but startup Bamboo Bioproducts is hoping to change this. The company is planning to develop large-scale bamboo farms across the island, harvesting the bamboo crop on a managed basis and converting the raw material in a local pulp mill using state-of-the-art technology. In all, Bamboo Bioproducts hopes to transform around 25,000 acres of idle land into sustainable bamboo farmland, creating jobs and inward investment along the way. Read more
HEALTHCARE APP HELPS CONNECT DOCTORS AND PATIENTS
Around the world, it is becoming more and more difficult to see a doctor. Patients without health insurance, in particular, have very little access to help when it comes to finding the best-suited, most reliable, or cheapest healthcare options. It can also be difficult for patients without medical insurance to transfer medical records from one setting to another A new app, eDocine, has been designed as a solution to these problems. Read more
Photo source Mike Erskine on Unsplash
A NEW TOOL FOR IDENTIFYING INFRASTRUCTURE AT RISK FROM CLIMATE CHANGE
As the earth heats up, many areas will face an increasing risk of infrastructure failure. Networks such as energy and water supplies, transportation, and medicine are all particularly vulnerable. A new platform that identifies those areas of risk is being piloted in Jamaica. The tool aims to provide information to allow planners to make more informed infrastructure risk assessments, and Jamaica was selected as it is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Read more
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