Breaches in the Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) sea defence have left rice and livestock farmers threatened by rising saltwater and some have already recorded millions in losses while others are fearful that they will lose millions more should the situation take a turn for the worse.
Some farmers have already given up on this crop of rice as water from the Atlantic Ocean has begun to seep into their farms.
WATCH: Sea defence breaches at Mahaicony
The sea defence, which separates farmlands and the ocean, broke away on Thursday afternoon threatening their crops and livestock, farmers said. That stretch of sea defence has been eroding for some time and the farmers said they made numerous complaints to the authorities but nothing was done.
The breach in the sea defence poses a threat to over 1,500 acres of rice fields and several livestock farms. Farmers said the breaches lie along the sea defence between Dantzig to Fairfield and approximately eight sections have broken away along the stretch.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, in a press release, said they have been made aware of the severe erosion of the river embankment between Broomhall and Dantzig. As a result, they have commenced emergency works at the Prospect and Broomhall areas to secure vulnerable stretches.
“A situation has now developed at the Dantzig area resulting in the [breaching] of 125 meters of earth dam which is the primary sea defences structure protected by mangroves forest along the entire Mahaicony district,” the release said.
The ministry said by Wednesday, boulders will be dispatched to the Dantzig area to seal the breach. It was also stated that a long boom excavator was dispatched to the area to reinforce dams around the rice farms to prevent water from getting into the fields. During Stabroek News’ visit to the community yesterday, an excavator was seen working along the dam.
“A walkthrough will be done with the rice farmers and sea defence officers to ensure effective emergency interventions. A second excavator attached to the ministry will be mobilised by Tuesday to work along with farmers,” the release added.
The areas will continue to be monitored by the Sea and River Defence department, the release said. The monitoring is “to ensure quick response to secure the breached and vulnerable sections to arrest the erosion of the sea dam and to prevent consequential flooding.” A contractor equipped with three excavators is on site currently fortifying vulnerable sections.
It was also stated that 2,000 tonnes of boulders were delivered to vulnerable sections at Prospect and Broomhall for placement along the sea dam.
The ministry explained that due to the Bellamy canal being filled to capacity as a result of heavy rainfall over the last few days, some flooding has occurred in farms.
“The Bellamy sluice is discharging into the Mahaica River and is working at both low and high tide periods within 24 hours to ensure rapid drawdown. Water is now receding in the Bellamy canal and connecting canals,” the release added.
Yesterday, farmers told Stabroek News that the situation is getting worse in their view as the water level is rising.
One farmer, Choturam Jorree, said his 30 acres of rice fields are under saltwater and it would be impossible to save his crop at this time since he only planted a few weeks ago.
He added that he is most fearful that the water would reach his livestock farm. “The rice is already going because the saltwater is in the farm but if it comes for the animals it would be a big loss for us. The damages will be a lot because our livelihood would be affected,” he said.
Choturam said that his losses are between $1.5 million to $3 million.
Glazier Lust
Another farmer, Premchand Doodnauth of Glazier Lust, said he has already lost three sheep since the breach. He related that the water has been rising at every tide and while he isn’t planting rice, he has observed rice farms next door to him covered at every high tide.
“We have to be fearful because we don’t know when the tide can come and flood our place. Not only would our farms here be affected but the ones in the backdam [would] be affected because the water will go into the canal and go over those farmlands,” Doodnauth said.
He said farmers have asked the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary-Agriculture Development Authority (MMA-ADA) to close some canals to prevent the saltwater from going into canals and into the farms but permission was not given.
Chitram Jorree, who is cultivating 95 acres of land, said that the rapid erosion was first spotted approximately two months ago and they complained to the regional officials. He said that since farms have been flooding at every high tide, he has to use an 18-inch irrigation pump to drain his farm in an effort to save his crop.
Dyal Ramkarran, a farmer of Columbia, yesterday told this newspaper that approximately 30 acres of his rice fields have been lost due to saltwater intrusion. He said that his crop is only 35 days old. Should the saltwater remain on his farm, his entire 60 acres of crop would be destroyed. His losses to date amount to approximately $4 million, the man said.
Ramkarran pointed out that if the farms continue to be flooded by the saltwater, they will not be able to use the lands for cultivating rice in the next crop.
“We would be happy if the government will step in and give us some assistance. It is not easy to keep losing crops… the last crop we suffered because it was dry season. This crop it is because of the breach… the losses are heavy,” he said.
With the next high tide, which is a spring tide, scheduled to occur Wednesday, residents said they are fearful that if the breach is not sealed not only will their farms be destroyed but their living quarters as well. One woman said that the communities are below sea level leaving them at risk during the spring tide.
“”Everything will be flooded, our farms, the drains, our homes, everything will be under water if the breach isn’t fixed by then. All we have to hope for is that the tide doesn’t come high…” the woman said.
According to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, a number of villages within the Mahaicony district are experiencing severe erosion of the foreshore which is resulting in total loss of the mangrove forest and erosion of the sea dam. This is a cyclic erosion pattern that has accelerated rapidly during recent spring tide periods.
The release said that during the neap tide period, which is currently ongoing, the ministry will embark on emergency work before the next spring tide.
Additionally, the release noted that a tender under the ministry will be opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board tomorrow to construct 350 meters of rip rap structure between Prospect and Broomhall. This will be phase two of the project. “Phase 1 was already awarded and includes for the construction of 325 meters, so the total length of works is 675 meters which is over 1200 feet works,” the release said.
In June, Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal had highlighted the rapid erosion taking place along the dam.
“It caused about 300 feet of erosion that led to a break. After that had happened, some remedial works were done, temporary remedial works by the River and Sea Defence Department [of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure] and that started about six weeks ago,” he said, when a section of the Prospect sea defence had broken away.
“When there is heavy rains, this can lead to serious flooding and right now there’s about 25,000 acres of rice land that depends heavily on that canal for drainage. You had farmers who were cultivating in close proximity of the canal and now all of those farmers are at risk; you have cattle farmers, cash crop farmers… It’s a matter that needs urgent attention,” Ramphal added.
He had written to the MMA-ADA as well as the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, informing them of the severity of the situation and was informed that tenders were out for constructing rip rap structures along the sea defence.
