-several other regions benefiting from El Nino interventions

The Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday presented three mobile pumps valued $210,000 to Region Seven farmers to alleviate the hardships they are suffering due to the prevailing El Nino conditions.

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the ministry George Jarvis said several initiatives are being implemented to ensure that people in hinterland communities can withstand the effects of the El Nino phenomenon. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, he noted that the initiative stemmed from discussions held by the region’s chief and regional executive officers during a previous meeting to discuss developments in the region.

The pumps will be deployed to the upper Mazaruni and Kaikan areas to assist in pumping water to areas where supply is scarce. Jarvis said several regions have already benefited from the exercise including regions one and nine and several parts of region two. “We are also working in collaboration with the Guyana Water Incorporated to ensure that the structures are wrapped up to a point where farmers cannot only have water for their crops, but also for their home use,” he said.

In addition to hardware distributed to the different regions, Jarvis said government is also working to implement additional activities that will attract income and do not require a lot of water. “In the future if there is another El Nino phenomenon the crops will be able to survive and withstand the effects,” he said.

Since the El Nino phenomenon started last year, the ministry has undertaken a number of interventions and has issued advisories urging farmers to use water for irrigation purposes wisely; to pay more attention to irrigation water quality; to engage in proper mulching and careful tilling of crops. They had also been advised to practice shade cultivation; to look for increases in the pest population; to avoid burning; to take proper care of their livestock and to recognise the critical situation and give full support to government’s strategies.

GINA said too in addition to the distribution of mobile pumps and water tanks to residents of affected communities, farmers also benefited from the distribution of veterinary supplies and molasses. Over 30,000 gallons of molasses has been distributed to farmers along with veterinary supplies and rice straw for livestock. The distribution exercise has been completed in regions five and six and it currently ongoing in region one.