Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud told Blairmont and Ithaca farmers last week that government is taking all necessary steps to ensure that they get enough water for their farmlands in the wake of the El Nino phenomenon.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the minister told the gathering that the administration has already made major efforts and continues to implement them in the best interest of farming communities nationwide. He said too the El Nino phenomenon has resulted in water shortages, a reality that is affecting the entire country and expected to last until the end of March, with February and March expected to be the driest months.
According to Persaud the Administration is taking the steps necessary to bring relief, with excavators working countrywide, and 21 mobile pumps fully deployed, to ensure that water is distributed into all conservancies and irrigation canals. The Guyana Sugar Company (GuySuCo) is also assisting in this regard. Persaud also cautioned that farmers should recognise that despite efforts and work ongoing with crop, cattle and rice farmers and GuySuCo, the ministry will continue to make interventions where needed but the absence of rainfall will present handicaps to the ultimate result.
The ministry is committed to ensuring that technical staff are traversing coastal and hinterland locations to address the situation, but communities must also cooperate and give support. To this end, farmers were encouraged to work together and share resources since the impact of the phenomenon is greater now than a decade ago as more acreage is under cultivation which requires more intense management. GuySuCo’s engineers will assist in the situation as much as possible, he added.
Persaud told the group that the ministry is also moving to enhance and expand extension services, with the rotation of all regional coordinators and extension staff, encouraging pro-activeness. Referring to the move as a radical remake of the system, the minister posited that this would serve to supply the needs of more farmers and use expertise of more Guyanese agriculture students returning from Cuba, dismantling the existing system and establishing a new one that will provide support to the Agriculture Diversification Programme that focuses on cash crops, livestock and aquaculture.
As regard sugar, focus has been placed on the importance of production to ensure viability of the industry, especially in the context of the recent European Union price cut. Representative of the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Project (MMA) Aubrey Charles said the area is challenged to irrigate farmlands that depend on rivers which are being affected by the spring tides. A high salt content was found to be in the water in canals and the savannah for grazing cattle. In the light of this Charles encourages the maximization and recycling of fresh water, wherever possible, in all areas.
GINA said after a previous meeting the minister hosted with the community, a heavy-duty bridge was built in the area and currently excavators are working to source water from the Evans canal, behind GuySuCo, that will facilitate the flow of water over a three to four-mile stretch. This is expected to benefit both cattle and rice farmers. Works are also continuing with the cleaning of drains and ensuring functionality of all sluices, especially in residential areas. Preparations for April-May rains will come after this dry season has ended.