In response to my letter in SN expressing the view that due to a lack of diligence by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) the water resources in Guyana had been poorly managed (‘There has been poor management of water resources by the Agriculture Ministry and NDIA,’ February 15), I was accused by the Corporate Secretary of NDIA, Mr Omadatt Chandan, of consistently without justification attacking the ministry and its executing agency (‘Ministry of Agriculture, NDIA made efforts to ensure there were adequate amounts of water from the time El Niño was predicted last year’ SN, February 17). He further claimed that my misleading statements were made at a time when NDIA was managing drainage and irrigation (D&I) so well that the systems were functioning with unprecedented efficiency.
The facts speak for themselves. At the recently held EI Niño Stakeholders’ Workshop, the President stated that due to apparent complacency, the MoA/NDIA got rid of stored water in the conservancies too quickly although drought conditions were predicted for the latter part of ‘09 and beyond. It is evident therefore that this premature action has exacerbated the present drought conditions in no small way.
Rice farmers in the declared D&I areas know that based on the strain of paddy they grow crop yields are higher if planting for the small crop is done in November-December rather than sooner or later. Therefore, uninterrupted water supply to irrigate their fields during this period and beyond is critical for optimum paddy production, as opposed to other strains grown elsewhere which thrive under rain-fed conditions as is the case in the Essequibo Islands.
A case in point is the management of the Tapakuma Project on the Essequibo Coast. This is one of several D&I projects managed in similar fashion with minor variations by NDIA. Three lakes, Capoey, Mainstay and Tapakuma (reservoir) are connected to a main canal which distributes stored irrigation water to about 35,000 acres of rice lands along the Essequibo Coast as and when needed. A pumping station on the Tapakuma River at Dawa provides supplemental water during dry spells. The maximum water level retention in the reservoir is 59 ED (Essequibo Datum) and operating instructions clearly state that this level should not be allowed to fall below 57.5 ED if irrigation by gravity to rice fields in the project area is to be assured. To maintain this level the pumps at Dawa are supposed to start operating 24/7.
From November ’09 to the present time the water level in the reservoir and main canal has been below 57.5 ED necessitating farmers to pump water into their fields for crop preparation and sustained growth. In addition, during the growing season a total of about 8” of water per month is required over the area of the crop. With the high cost for pumping water into their fields, no farmer could cultivate irrigated rice given the thin profit margin for their paddy.
MoA/NDIA was asleep at the wheel as no one was monitoring the drop in water level of the reservoir/main canal, and therefore no instructions were given in a timely manner to start the pumps at Dawa to keep the water supply level as per operating instructions. It was noted also that probably because of financial constraints and other causes, the fuel oil storage tanks at the pumping station were at their lowest level in years, instead of being full to the brim at the start of the irrigation season.
During December ’09 farmers in the project area realized that with no rain and gravity-fed irrigated water for their fields that they were heading for a disaster. Representations were then made for help to alleviate their worst fears, and belatedly efforts were made by NDIA to provide irrigation by pumping, but by then it was a little too late as pumping was insufficient to raise the water level in the main canal for gravity irrigation and whatever water was in the system had to be re-pumped to reach the fields, which some farmers did. However, without gravity irrigation and no rainfall for paddy cultivation, it’s a losing battle to try working the fields. In any case the small crop is already lost as pumping cannot meet water demand and the sources are drying up because of salt water intrusion up the creeks and rivers. Therefore, priority allocation of the limited available water resources has to be given to livestock and humans.
The Secretary of NDIA has stated that millions of dollars have been spent, but it was not evident how effectively this expenditure was to actually get water where it was wanted to assist a large number of farmers to cultivate a successful small crop. He should list the locations of a few fortunate farms where NDIA’s belated efforts have made a difference. After all, the primary objective of NDIA as claimed is to serve its farmers with services that are dependable and efficiently executed, but the unfolding crisis indicates otherwise.
Finally, the Hydromet Division provides weather data but does not manage D&I systems by collecting and analyzing data to operating facilities to provide users with water when needed, or getting excess water off their land in a timely manner. This is the responsibility of NDIA, and as far as I am aware it has not been delegated. Has NDIA been making timely interventions as claimed? The grave drought situation facing the nation with no viable solution in sight except for the handouts of a few PVC corrugated pipes, speaks for itself.
Yours faithfully,
Charles Sohan
