In rice fields along the Mahaica River, the pumps are working overtime. But Jaipaul Jaikarran says that he has already lost 50 acres of rice and a horse and a foal have died.
Every day he spends $30 000 for diesel to keep his pumps running and has been spending this amount for 15 days now to keep water out of his Handsome Tree fields, the elderly farmertold Stabroek News yesterday. 500 plantain suckers are also under water, he added.
Other rice farmers shared a similar tale of woe. Swollen by rains and the releasing of water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC), the Mahaica River has overflowed its banks in places, flooding farmlands and is only kept out of some spots by the high embankments built up over time. The flooding has hit farmers for over a week now and many are struggling to cope.
Region Five Chairman Bindrabhan Bisnauth told Stabroek News last evening that he and Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy visited the Mahaica and Mahaicony creeks yesterday and interventions are being made. He said that that the water keeps rising and four excavators have been deployed to raise dams at Mahaicony while another has been deployed exclusively to help farmers in that area. At Mahaica, he said, two machines have been deployed to raise dams. Ramsammy has acknowledged that there were significant losses to farmers in the Mahaica/Mahaicony communities following the release of conservancy water through the Maduni sluice and has pledged a major relief effort.
Bisnauth said yesterday that a package is being worked on but it is too early to say what it will comprise since the flooding is continuing. The water in the conservancy is still at a very high level and he said, based on reports, it does not seem that the EDWC commission will close the Maduni sluice within the next two to three days.
Vets
Rajpaul Narine who grows rice and rears cattle in Handsome Tree said that he has chased his 60 cows to higher ground. “We need vets to come in and check the animals,” he said. He stated that some had visited the area but came without drugs. According to him, the Minister of Agriculture had promised molasses for cattle farmers but this is yet to materialize. He said that his rice is planted on higher land but the ones that would have been planted on the lower ground would have been affected. Karamchand Umrao of Number 10, Mahaica said that his 20 acres of “40 days rice” is under water and he is pumping to save the plants.
Several other rice farmers told Stabroek News that what they need at present is fuel because they have been battling to keep water out of their fields and this is expensive. One farmer said that yields are likely to be reduced because of the flooding. “They gotta help the farmers, the farmers need assistance,” he said. The farmers pointed out that many have pumps and fuel and “will be able to assist the situation faster.” According to them, about 5000 acres of rice from Number 10 to Biaboo is under threat. “Water coming up every day and rain falling all the time,” one farmer pointed out.
Several of the farmers said that those who have been severely affected, particularly the cash crop farmers, will need assistance with foodstuff and other items if the situation continues. “They lose all the crops. Dah what they depend pon,” one farmer noted. The farmers also said that while Ministry of Health teams had visited; they need to be sent on a more frequent basis.
Sit and wait
For many cash crop farmers, they can only sit and wait. The floodwaters have taken over most of their crops. In Grass Hook, Dindyal Ramdeen said that the water keeps rising. The family had to pick between 800 to 1000 pounds of tomatoes because the plants were being affected by the flooding and hundreds of the little fruit lay on tables and baskets. “About 300 pounds spoil in the water,” he said adding that they will try to get the produce that has already been reaped into the market and hopefully sell it but noted that many were damaged by the waters. “All like these you nah get price cause the rain bust up the head and all like you carry this to the market, the people dem gon say is no face tomato,” he said.
The flooding being experienced now is similar to that experienced last year, the farmers noted while lamenting that it seems to be occurring every year. “Only the conservancy giving this amount of water,” said Ramdeen adding that now because of the flooding everything is at a standstill. He said that he is upset that the sluice always has to be opened. No official from the Agriculture Ministry had contacted them as yet, he added.
Diaram stood in one of his fields of bora, the only one that has not been affected by the flooding because he had recently built up that plot of land. He said that if the water rose a foot more, the plot would be flooded as well. He still owes the excavator operator for the work done and was depending on this crop to help pay off the debt. “If the water nah raise, me could get this crop but if it come more, all gon go down,” he said. He said that he has already lost 800 roots of bora, tomatoes and plantain suckers and was fearful that if the water continues to rise, the ones that are still standing would be affected. “Me nah believe this thing fair. They ah try save Region Four and they duck down the balance place. Me nah think dah fair,” he lamented.
The home of Sonita Sarju was surrounded by water. Like the year before, the fish that they have been rearing to sell have escaped from the fish pond. “We affected very bad and too often,” she said. She has lost 3000 roots of bora, 2000 roots of pepper and 500 roots of carila. “It very hard on we now. As soon as you plant, you about to reap, is flood. Every time you lost your crop,” she said. Sarju said that the water continues to rise every day and lamented that when the sluice is to be opened, no one notifies them. “Everything already done,” she said.
Pitamber Persaud in Big Baiboo said that it was a struggle to keep his cows and goats fed amidst the flooding. “We gah cow, goat. We gah struggle with them now,” he said. He said that one of his six goats has died and they would be grateful for any assistance as they wait out the flood.
Another farmer in Big Baiboo said that 5000 roots of bora that were bearing, 2500 roots of younger bora, 800 plantain suckers and 600 pepper plants were under water. The woman also said that out of 17 goats, four had died. She said that she rents a dam for $40 000 and also has other debts. “Me had the thing them to work and pay but now this thing flood out, where you gon get the money to pay,” she lamented. “All deh under water due to this conservancy.” She expressed dissatisfaction that they were not informed beforehand that the Maduni sluice was to be opened. “You ah feel disgust because you can’t get nothing. As soon as you ah go get the money, everything done,” she said. She said that they need assistance. “Me nah know at the present what abhe go do. All we could do is sit down and face the water,” she said. “Abhe need the Agriculture Minister to come and see what is the situation”.
Dulmattie Persaud said that they have lost some crops while they are still working to save the remainder. She said so far, they have lost about 1000 roots of bora, 200 roots of pepper, 300 plantain suckers and 300 roots of pepper. She said that they had built up some land last year but the water is reaching this area. No official from the Ministry had contacted farmers, she said, echoing other farmers. “Some people already need assistance,” she said.
Mahaica, Mahaicony and the Abary have endured deep flooding in recent years after the deliberate release of water from the EDWC via the Maduni sluice. The areas were badly affected in 2005 and 2006. There were less serious cases in the years since. This year’s has been quite extensive and the threat is not over. There have been calls by farmers for 100% compensation from the government because of the deliberate flooding of their cultivation by the Maduni release.
