Moco Moco rice unaffected by flooding
THE rice crop in Moco Moco is unaffected although Region 9 (Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo) continues to battle flood waters that are threatening all aspects of life there, General Secretary of the Rice Producers’ Association (RPA), Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj has reported. He told the Guyana Chronicle that the harvesting was completed on Wednesday and the paddy is being dried.
“The challenge we have is that we are not having the number of sun days to dry the paddy but we are coping. The grains are being stored to be made available when needed,” Seeraj stated.
He said the project to plant rice in the region was advanced with the aim of improving food security in hinterland communities and the investment has been validated as the current flooding cut off the supply of basic goods.
Seeraj alluded to the Food and Agriculture Organisation week on the world food outlook that foresees a continued tight balance between supply and demand and high prices continuing into 2012.
He said the grim predictions, coupled with the challenges posed by natural disasters, emphasise the urgent need to ensure that communities are food secure and a focus on staples will be a must.
Moco Moco farmers reaped 143 acres of rice and the expected yield is just over 20 bags paddy per acre.
Several acres of beans were also planted in the community of 400 people and the undertaking is expected to produce 900 pounds per acre that, too, through a three-year rice/beans programme funded by the Spanish and Guyana governments.
The partnership is between the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development and Guyana Rice Development Board.
The target is to cultivate 82 acres of rice and 11 acres of beans at a cost of US$643,000 to support the improvement of rural development in the Rupununi savannahs.
Scaled down replicas of the Moco Moco rice project are expected to be taken to other hinterland communities. (Vanessa Narine)