With the El Nino drought deepening, some farmers in Mahaica are angry that their crops are at risk of dying because others are pumping water indiscriminately despite a rotation schedule instituted by the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary-Agriculture Development Authority (MMA-ADA).
The farmers from the Perseverance/Handsome Tree area are insisting that the MMA-ADA take stern action against those who are pumping water exclusively for their own needs.
While the farmers were incensed yesterday at the growing threat to their crops, the MMA-ADA is of the view that the situation is improving. In light of the intense competition for water, the MMA-ADA has implemented a rotation schedule for five blocks to tap the water being pumped from the Kuliserabo and Mahaica creeks into irrigation canals. However, farmers in the first block, which includes Perseverance and Handsome Tree, have not yet been able to pump sufficient water onto their lands and place all the blame on the MMA-ADA for their ongoing plight.
“The situation is more or less under control,” General Manager of the MMA/ADA Aubrey Charles told Stabroek News on Wednesday.
Charles said since the MMA-ADA had divided the area into five blocks, it was able to exert more control on the pumping of water. He explained that first block, which consists of the farmlands farthest away from the source of the water and which spans the back of the coastal villages, was allowed to pump water on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“And so it goes. Block two will be allowed to pump water on Thursday and Friday, considering that there is enough water left in the canals, and so on it goes with the other blocks,” Charles said. He noted that if there isn’t enough water when one of the blocks is finished pumping then the next block will have to wait a day or two for the canals to refill to a significant level. After the fifth block is finished, the cycle will start over with the first block.
“We don’t have the desired height [water level in the canal] right now but that’s what we have to work with,” he said, while adding that he is asking all the farmers to co-operate since the MMA/ADA is working assiduously to ensure that every one of them receives water.
He urged the farmers to wait their turn and reiterated that anyone caught pumping out of the geographic parameters that were assigned within each block will face the possibility of prosecution. “A farmer in the fifth block came to me yesterday and said he is not happy ’cause he won’t get water first’ and I told him we can’t entertain his request,” he said.
Charles said that staff from the MMA-ADA patrol the farmlands from 7am to 10pm with the help of farmers. “I wish to compliment and publicly thank the farmers for the support they have been giving to us throughout these trying times. Without their help, we would’ve been far worse than where we are currently,” he declared, while adding that the farmers who were farther away from the source and have their crops in the bearing stage were being extremely helpful. However, while the MMA-ADA is optimistic that the water will be enough for most of the farmers, one of them, Susankar (only name given), told Stabroek News yesterday that despite him being given the go-ahead to pump water from the canals, he was unable to get any significant amount onto his land because of the low level. He argued that the system that the MMA-ADA has implemented is useless since they have not added any extra monitoring to make sure that the various blocks are receiving the water.
Dried up
“This here now, the MMA is responsible for everything ‘cause if they come and stop everybody from pumping then we wouldn’t be here right now. Number 10 and Big Baiabu getting all the water and the water ain’t reaching the front cause all the creek man (farmers closer to the water source) taking all the water for themselves,” he stated, while pointing out that when it was scheduled for his block (Block 1) to pump water, he was only able to pump for approximately two hours during the two days because of the water level.
Despite the canals being almost completely dried up in his area, Susankar believes that there is enough water being pumped from the Kuliserabo Pump Station and the Mahaica Creek to supply all the farmers in the Mahaica area but due to greed, the water is now allowed to flow down.
“The amount of water coming from the Kuliserabo and Big Baiabu (Mahaica Creek) is enough. If the MMA control the water, then everybody gonna get. Just one week these people at the back here need to stop and the water will do for everyone if they allow it to flow,” he added, while stating that the government placed the pumps to help all of the farmers but only those closer to the creek are benefitting .
When Stabroek News visited the farmlands yesterday, the canals further away from the source were completely dried up. However, as Stabroek News travelled closer to the source, the water level rose tremendously with pumps on each side of the canal. “Just because the MMA ain’t controlling the water that’s why all ah we in this state now. They just come and drive around and give fuel to the pumps but they got to come and monitor the water and see that the road man them get water and stop telling people that we getting water,” Vibert (only name given) told Stabroek News yesterday as a crowd of farmers gathered around to express their discontent. The farmers stated that while they appreciate the MMA-ADA for providing fuel to operate the pumps, they need to take much more serious action against those who are pumping indiscriminately.
“We understand that everyone can’t get water at the same time and we know that but if you going to implement a system where only one section at a time can get water then you have to make sure that is exactly what’s happening,” Vibert said. He stated that the officials at the MMA-ADA and National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) need to stop staying in their offices and come out to experience what exactly is going on. “Even when the staff them come out and they catch someone pumping that isn’t supposed to pump they don’t do anything. All they does do is tell them to stop pump and when the people (MMA-ADA staff) gone they (the errant farmers) does start back pumping,” one of the enraged farmers said. “They need to take more serious actions and start seizing these people pump and make them pay a fine,” another one said, to which the crowd of farmers shouted in agreement.
Green, green
“Watch them man (the rice farmers closer to the source) field how it green, green and they pumping out the water. They don’t even need it as much as we do and they pumping out the water,” Vibert stated, adding that while the crops of the farmers closer to the road are at a later stage and urgently need the water, the other farmers that are closer to the creek but have younger rice are greedily using the water. “To be honest they don’t even need it. They have enough right now in they fields to even stop pumping for a week or more but they keep on pumping and disregarding everyone,” one of the farmers pointed out.
When Stabroek News travelled through the area, one farmer was using a Hymac to dig one of the canals even though the NDIA and MMA-ADA had warned against tampering with the water system. “Is not I come here and pump you know and I only digging to make a better hole for me pump to go in,” the farmer stated.
Susankar said that currently there is about 6,000 acres of rice in the block one area that is suffering from the lack of water. “Everybody gonna lose if these man (MMA-ADA) ain’t come and do anything in the coming week brother. We real bad here and nobody ain’t even realizing it and doing anything. People think it easy out here but we suffering bad and these creek man just ignoring all of we,” he added.
Region Five chairman Vickchand Ramphal earlier this week lauded the efforts of the MMA-ADA and the NDIA in trying to lessen the woes of the farmers but suggested that other measures should be put in place. “I think that they could bring a few more excavators to help dig the canals deeper and they should increase the monitoring,” he said.
Ramphal told Stabroek News again that about 25,000 acres of rice were under threat in the region, with about 5,000 already badly affected. In the Mahaica area alone, about 4,000 acres were damaged due to the salt water intrusion and some 18,000 remain under threat from water shortage.
