In spite of Agri Ministry interventions…
DESPITE the Ministry of Agriculture’s multi-faceted approach in mitigating the El Nino effects in various parts of the country,
Guysuco will not be able to achieve its first crop target.
This was disclosed by Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud yesterday during a press conference at the Ministry, Regent Road, Bourda.
Persaud said though there was no significant fall out in sugar production, the replanting programme was affected to the point where the industry can only achieve 85 per cent of its planting programme.
He explained that during the El Nino period, the industry was plagued with problems associated with irrigation, water supply and transportation of pumps.
Despite the severe impact on the industry, Persaud said it is in the full recovery mode with the objective of not having a significant fall-out.
He said that Ministry has not failed in fulfilling its market commitments as the country is still in a position to provide crops and livestock to both the local and international markets. He explained that though an inadequate supply for the local market was cited initially, this situation was not made manifest due to the hard work by ministry officials and the cooperation from farmers.
Now out of the response phase, Minister Persaud said $342M was allocated to the recovery phase and out of this total, $38M went to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA); $55M to the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA); $110M to rice recovery; $60M to other crops; $15M to hinterland areas; $10M to cattle and livestock; and $25M to help small farmers in land preparation. Money was also allocated to the spraying of paddy bugs in Regions 5 (Mahaica-Berbice) and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), he said.
Minister Persaud pointed out that the 8,000 acres of rice that was lost across the country during this period was below the 30,000 that was projected. There has been under 150 losses in cattle, despite hundreds were estimated.
The exercise, which will see farmers receiving seed paddy and quantities of fertilizer, will kick off on the islands of Wakenaam and Leguan within a matter of days, the minister said, while pointing out that only those farmers who suffered losses will benefit from this initiative.
Minister Persaud said it was initially feared that the loss in the rice industry would have been widespread; but because of the interventions by the ministry and several sister agencies, the situation was brought under control. He said the interventions focused on adequate water management and providing supplies to farmers, among other things.
He said the there were also concerns about food security in the hinterland and much effort was concentrated there so that crops could have been kept and harvested.
According to him, the hinterland experiences only one rainy season which begins from about now through September. The Ministry had to step up surveillance in management of pests and animal diseases, the minister said.
He mentioned, too, that the weather is not just about land and inadequate water, but a number of other issues arose, such as the proliferation of acoushi ants and  caterpillars.
As part of the ministry’s multi-faceted approach, Persaud said it looked at better ways of controlling pests and diseases. In addition, the ministry worked through the farmers associations and a team recently visited some 56 villages in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo).
He also mentioned that some 300 meetings were held with various communities as the ministry tried to reach out to farmers.
According to him, during the last quarter, the Agriculture Ministry issued a number of advisories that led to action being taken at various levels. The work by the task force, which was set up at the beginning of the El Nino conditions, has been deemed successful, he said.