More interventions to help Pomeroon farmers deal with flooding - focus on more D&I improvement 

Georgetown, GINA, January 22, 2008.

Government will be investing more than $1M to undertake further drainage and irrigation improvement in the Lower Pomeroon while consideration will be given to another important project to aid D&I in the Dredge Creek/Kaikaburi area, Upper Pomeroon.
            These interventions are intended to help Pomeroon farmers deal with the effects of climate change which have resulted in greater rainfall intensity and increased water levels. As a result of the heavy rainfall, there has been runoff of excess water from the savannahs which has contributed to accumulation in several farmlands.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud and a team of technical and regional personnel today visited several areas that were severely affected, including Little Try Best, Lower Pomeroon and Dredge Creek/Kaikaburi in the Upper Pomeroon.

Minister Persaud addresses Little Try Best farmers' meeting

Meetings were held with farmers and residents and discussions were focused on short and long-term interventions to relieve them from flooding during heavy rainfall and high tides so that they can expand cultivation and improve production.
At Little Try Best, farmers proposed a project that will protect several acres of farmland from flooding and support advanced agricultural development. Since it was accepted by the technical team and the Minister, farmers were informed that arrangements will be made to implement the works immediately.
The project will be carried out with the $1M that was committed several years ago by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds for D&I upgrading in the area, but which was never utilised by farmers. A proposal for a bigger project, which was put forward by another farmer and which is estimated to cost in excess of $2M, will be reviewed by engineers.

Minister Persaud interacts with farmers at Little Try Best, Lower Pomeroon

Minister Persaud said the intention is to help relieve farmers immediately with implementation of projects for which resources are available while other larger proposed investments will require technical and financial considerations.
In addition, focus is being placed on the provision of other forms of assistance to help those severely affected farmers whose livelihoods depend mainly on farming to return to their activities as quickly as possible. Assistance with planting materials and chemicals such as fungicide are being offered in this regard.
Farmers expressed satisfaction with the support being offered and made recommendations for other initiatives to boost agricultural and livestock production in their area including pig rearing.
They were told that this has been recognised as an area with great potential and through the intervention of President Bharrat Jagdeo resources were made available to initiate a pig breeding programme.
Approximately 150 pigs were imported from Suriname and the United States to start the project through which the animals are being bred at the Guyana Defence Force’s East Bank Demerara farm and at the Guyana School of Agriculture, East Coast Demerara. The project seeks to make available improved breeds of pigs to farmers across the country to develop their stocks.

Minister Persaud makes a point at Dredge Creek farmers' meeting, Upper Pomeroon

During the meeting at Dredge Creek, farmers were informed of the assistance with planting materials and chemicals and were asked about possible D&I recommendations that could eliminate the threat of flooding and boost farming activities.
Farmers suggested establishment of an additional outlet from the Kaikaburi Canal into the Pomeroon to help drain the area since the main channel, Dredge Creek, cannot adequately discharge the excess water during the heavy rainfall. Technical officials from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) have been tasked with reviewing the proposal.
Following the 2005 and 2006 flooding, Government committed and delivered on the provision of two excavators to improve D&I in the Upper and Lower Pomeroon. These have since been used to empolder farmlands and excavate drains in several miles of farmlands.
During the meetings today, farmers reported to the Minister that the works done with the machines have been very beneficial since the areas that have been improved were not affected by the heavy rainfall.
In addition to the provision of the two machines worth more than $60M, resources were spent to procure pontoons that are being used to transport the excavators from one area to another.
Also following a visit to Region Two last month by Minister Persaud, approximately $1M in fuel was provided to help reduce the costs associated with operations of the machines.
Regional Chairman Ali Baksh, NDIA’s Chief Executive Officer (ag) Lionel Wordsworth and Chief Crops and livestock Officer Brian Sears were among those present at the meetings.

 

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