The Bernard Lodge area, once home to sugar plantations, in recent history has been a source of livelihood for hundreds of Jamaican farmers , on island of only 19% arable land. Since January 2021, the government of Jamaica has begun the displacement of the farmers in favor of a project to convert agricultural land to housing and mega-farms. Given the high level of food import dependency in the Caribbean and its status of high vulnerability, the loss of arable land and the displacement of farmers runs counter to  the UN 2018 rights of peasants and other rural peoples, and also contradicts national and international commitments on sustainable development. The Government of Jamaica is pushing “new urban planning approaches and innovative strategies to optimize the use of these lands in this area and create a resilient and sustainable community.” However, while emphasizing principles of equity, sustainability and adaptation to climate change, this Jamaican Urban Development Plan, is having negative impacts on the livelihoods of the farmers who are undergoing displacement from prior plots.