El Ni?o advisory should not be taken lightly
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

–Ramsammy warns sugar, rice industries

MINISTER of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy says that stakeholders in the sugar and rice industries should not take the El Nino warning lightly.
However, he quipped that the ‘Ramsammy El Nino’ as some jokingly refer to the warning, has not quite kicked-in, but stressed, “While you can joke about the Ramsammy El Nino because there is some rain, the onset of an El Ni?o later this year is real and I am willing to be the butt of the jokes as long as people are taking my warning seriously.”
“If it doesn’t happen, people have some more jokes but if it happens we must be prepared for it. And the greater changes have been vindicated. I am not looking for vindication. I’d rather be wrong, but if we do have El Ni?o we will be prepared for it. Do not dismiss the ‘Ramsammy’ El Ni?o.”
El Ni?o is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters along the tropical west coast of South America. El Nino has an impact on ocean temperatures, the speed and strength of ocean currents, the health of coastal fisheries, and local weather from Australia to South America.

DROUGHTS
Climatologists and weather forecasters predicted an El Ni?o for the Americas, starting in July and intensifying towards October and December. The prediction, as of this time, is that it could be a serious El Ni?o with severe droughts in many parts of the Americas.
According to Dr. Ramsammy, the current levels of rainfall are not enough to meet the overall demand for agriculture water in the country.
“It will only get worse. Many countries in Central America, South America, North America and the West-side are suffering from drought. Jamaica had a major impact,” he said.

INSUFFICIENT RAINFALL
The minister explained that currently the limited rainfall will not significantly affect Guyana’s main agriculture sectors.
He pointed out that in some areas, even the limited rainfall Guyana is experiencing is not sufficient.
“In one part of the country, they are calling that the rain is affecting them to an extent, because there is some sugar harvesting ongoing, and another part of the country, in the rice sector, people have been telling me that they want water,” he said.
The Minister added that once there is proper management of the water resources, Guyana could manage to pull through an El Ni?o season, unless there is insufficient rainfall to bolster the water levels in the major conservancies.
Additionally, an El Ni?o working group has been established, with people from the Ministry of Agriculture, the private sector and other ministries such as Public Works, Local Government, etc.

(By Sandy Agasen)

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