THE El Niño weather phenomenon continues to seriously affect irrigation for crops in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).
Consequently, the Region, which produces more than one million bags of paddy annually, anticipates a drastic reduction, with the most affected areas being Central and North Essequibo Coast. Farmers in the South (Aurora/Perseverance) have adequate water for their cultivations and will be harvesting within another two weeks but in the Anna Regina/Coffee Grove area and the North the situation is different.
Fields that have not reached the bearing stage are still very green in appearance but need water to ensure good growth.
The Regional Administration, in its effort to save the harvest, has turned to the Lima Sands savannah to irrigate fields.
Workers of the Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) Department cleared an abandoned drainage canal, next to Cheddi Jagan Bio-Diversity Park at Lima Sands, to drain the water from the savannahs into it and then to the cultivated plots.
But the flow contained several large eels (known as the shocking type) and it scared residents who usually use the source to wash clothing and bathe.
The eels carry high voltage electricity and can shock people to death in the water.
But farmers are very thankful to the Regional Administration for doing everything possible to provide irrigation water for them in this time of drought-like conditions.
The Administration spent millions of dollars to pump, through Dawa Pump Station at Tapakuma, from Pomeroon River and is monitoring the D&I network 24 hours daily.