Integrating digital technologies and participatory tools to support coastal community resilience in Trinidad and Tobago (Tech4coastalresilience)

Climate change impacts, including more extreme weather, coastal erosion and sea level rise, pose a critical challenge for coastal communities across Trinidad and Tobago. However, currently there is limited data and technical capacity to support robust vulnerability and impact assessments and inform the planning and implementation of relevant climate actions and coastal management responses.

About the Project

The “Integrating digital technologies and participatory tools to support coastal community resilience in Trinidad and Tobago (Tech4CoastalResilience)” Project aimed to apply innovative digital technologies (e.g. GIS and drone technology) and participatory approaches to better engage coastal communities and capture local knowledge for a more in-depth understanding of local vulnerabilities and priorities for climate change adaptation and coastal resilience. It also helped to resource and build the capacity of key coastal management agencies for uptake of digital technologies and participatory tools and integration of local and scientific knowledge to inform policy and practice. It was implemented by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), the Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and Department of Marine Resources and Fisheries, and the Tobago House of Assembly from January 2023 – April 2025.

The Tech4CoastalResilience Project was funded under the ‘Harnessing Innovative Technologies to Support Resilience Settlements on the Coastal Zones of the Caribbean (HIT RESET Caribbean)’Project (EuropeAid/166663/IH/ACT/MULTI) with the support of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the financial contribution of the European Union (EU).

How has this project benefitted the Caribbean region?

By improving the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities in Trinidad and Tobago through inclusive and evidence-based decision-making

What have we achieved?

• Identifed and refined at least 5 suitable digital and participatory technologies and tools, including drones and participatory GIS, for evidence-based prediction, planning and management for coastal community resilience.

• Engaged 7 coastal management agencies and over 15 local community groups in the process so that they demonstrate enhanced knowledge and skills in use of digital technologies and participatory tools.

• Tested innovative digital technologies and participatory tools in 10 coastal communities.

• Developed recommendations for adoption and scaling use of digital technologies and participatory tools to support more inclusive and evidence-based decision-making for coastal community resilience.

What activities did we undertake?

1. Identifying applicable digital and participatory technologies and tools:
   • • Stakeholder mapping and scoping to understand the local context and information needs of the 10 communities.
     • Technical review to assess the applicability of existing digital technologies and participatory tools to support prediction, planning and management with vulnerable coastal communities.
     • Participatory assessment with coastal management agencies and community stakeholders to select applicable digital technologies and participatory tools.
2. Building capacity to use digital and participatory technologies and tools:
   • • Training field-teams to conduct community-level vulnerability and capacity assessments (VCAs), using digital and participatory technologies/tools (e.g. participatory GIS).
     • Training field teams on use of drones and other technologies and tools for participatory mapping and ongoing coastal monitoring of climate-related and other changes in 10 target communities.
     • Training coastal management agencies on integrating local knowledge and other data generated from VCAs, drone mapping and monitoring and other technologies and tools into national/sectoral databases and information systems.
3. Building coastal communities’ resilience:
   • • VCAs have been conducted in 5 selected communities where there were no previous assessments.
     • Drone mapping and monitoring has been conducted in 10 communities.
     • Community resilience plans have been developed for 10 communities, including participatory scenario planning and identifying priorities for action to address key issues emerging from VCAs.
4. Documenting experiences and lessons to enhance coastal management and resilience:
   • • Evaluation and communication of findings and lessons from conducting VCAs, drone monitoring and practical actions in 10 communities.

Recent project news and information

• Press release: CANARI strengthens coastal communities’ resilience in Trinidad and Tobago through integrating innovative and inclusive technologies

• Social media post – CANARI thrilled to kick off training on drone flying and mapping to improve coastal management and build resilience in T&T:
  • • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
• Press release: CANARI conducts community action planning to identify priorities to build coastal resilience in T&T

• Press release: CANARI conducts assessments of coastal communities’ vulnerability to build resilience in T&T

• Press release: CANARI conducts training on assessing coastal communities’ vulnerability and building resilience in T&T

• News features on project launch on September 12, 2023:
  • • TV6 News
    • TTT News 
• Press release: CANARI launches project integrating innovative technologies to strengthen coastal communities’ resilience in Trinidad and Tobago

• CANARI excited to join HIT RESET Caribbean kick-off meeting for third party grantees and Caribbean Urban Forum in Suriname, May 29-June 2, 2023

Project-related communications

• GIS Storymap

• Community Resilience Plans:
• Blanchisseuse, Trinidad
• Carli Bay, Trinidad
• Icacos, Trinidad
• Matelot, Trinidad
• Mayaro, Trinidad
• Moruga, Trinidad
• Castara, Tobago
• Roxborough, Tobago
• Scarborough, Tobago
• Speyside, Tobago

• GIS Applications and Data Integration for Coastal Resilience Training Report

• Participatory Drone Mapping for Environmental Monitoring Final Report 

• Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment Report for Coastal Communities in Trinidad and Tobago 

• Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment Training Workshop Report 

• Technical Review Report

More information about this project

• Download the project brief
• Contact Dr. Ainka Granderson, Resilience Programme Manager, at ainka@canari.org

Related programmes

• Participatory Governance Programme
• Resilience Programme