Farmers from Victoria Village on the East Coast of Demerara are to benefit from a number of much-needed drainage works, according to Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha.
A Ministry of Agriculture release yesterday stated that Mustapha made this commitment during a meeting with the farmers yesterday afternoon. He also told them that emergency works will commence within the next three to five days.
Farmers from the community turned up in their numbers to meet the minister and air their dissatisfaction with the lack of proper drainage which results in their farms being completely inundated whenever there is persistent rainfall.
One farmer explained that due to the heavy vegetation in the trenches, many farms are constantly under water.
Similarly, another farmer told the minister that the main relief channel in the area, which also drains three neighbouring villages, is blocked and needs to be cleared.
The release stated that aside from drainage, farmers pointed to a need for a ranger to manage the Crown Dam. One farmer related that in the past, a ranger would monitor the condition of the dam and provide a report to the relevant authorities.
In addition to drainage issues, the residents expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the village’s Neighbourhood Democratic Council. The minister heard that despite making numerous requests for upgrades to their roads and cleaning of their parapets, the NDC continues to ignore their requests.
In addressing the farmers’ concerns, the minister assured that emergency drainage works will commence in the coming days. He noted that since the rainy season has been predicted to last another two months, works have to be prioritised to minimise flooding in the community.
“Things that were not done for years cannot be done all at once. We have to prioritise and determine what works should be done now and what should be done later. What is most important should be done now. We are now experiencing heavy rainfall because the prediction is showing over the next two months we’ll have heavy and intense rainfall. We have to prepare now so that farmers and residents who suffered tremendous losses will not experience that again. Systems need to be put in place,” Mustapha was quoted as saying.
In addition to the emergency drainage works announced, he also stated that officers from the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) will be conducting a needs assessment to determine how many farmers suffered losses, which would enable the ministry to make available, planting materials and fertilisers so that farmers can return to the land as soon as possible. Furthermore, farmers who lost livestock were also assured that, following a similar assessment, the ministry will work to offer assistance to farmers who suffered losses.
After the meeting, Mustapha accompanied farmers to get a firsthand look at the devastation caused by the flooding as well as the state of the roads. Residents took the opportunity to express satisfaction with the minister’s visit and his willingness to visit several of the affected farms and homes.
According to the release, Mustapha also told farmers that come 2022, they can look forward to more developmental works in the village. He also promised to engage the Ministers of Public Works to have them visit the area to address issues with the roadways in the village.
