The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is advising rice farmers on the Essequibo coast to be judicious in their use of irrigation water over the next few weeks as the water level of the Tapacuma Conservancy has dropped significantly due to low rainfall during this rainy season.
According to a Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) press release, the NDIA has stated that despite their pumps working beyond the scheduled operating hours, the level of irrigation water in the main canal continues to be insufficient to adequately service all rice fields in both the front and backlands areas.
NDIA Region Two Engineer, Nanram Narine, said that low level of rainfall this rainy season has significantly affected the authority’s irrigation abilities.