The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is still collaborating with other agriculture agencies to find biological means to control aquatic weeds or to use them in bio-gas or animal feed production. NARI is coordinating the two-year programme, launched earlier this year, with support from the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation, the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals (Control) Board, the Guyana Rice Development Board and the Guyana Sugar Corporation, a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. The programme aims to investigate the management and feasibility of using aquatic weeds from drainage and irrigation (D&I) channels as a potential source for biogas, animal feed production and other commercial purposes.
Currently the international experts are collecting samples of weeds and are considering using insects to control them. They have observed that though some insects utilize the weeds they are few. Consideration may be given to the rearing these insects in the long term, GINA said.
GINA said too the weed management programme was initiated by President Bharrat Jagdeo and is being implemented against the background that weed control would ensure efficient water management and reduced maintenance cost of the D&I canals.
Clearing of weeds especially antelope grass from main drains, waterways and rivers such as the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks require significant expenditure annually to ensure efficient drainage particularly during the rainy season.
