THE Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, last weekend, intensified its relief efforts for villagers in the North Pakaraimas, who are facing food shortages as a result of their crops being destroyed by heavy rainfall over the past four months. Started on Saturday, necessities, such as sugar, rice, peas, milk powder, cornmeal, farine and other essentials were airlifted to those destinations.
The foodstuff was transported overland to Mahdia and then shuttled by aircraft to the villages in the mountains.
A senior official of the Ministry said at least 26 flights are planned and ongoing to aid adults and children in places including Monkey Mountain, Itabak, Paramakatoi, Kato and others in the mountainous area and the mission should be completed by tomorrow.
The official said, prior to last weekend, the undertaking was ongoing but sporadic until the gravity of the situation became clear.
Crops in at least 15 villages in the highland areas of Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) were hard hit not only by the incessant rains but also, to a significant extent, by pests like rats and locusts.
It has been recognised that, even if replanting starts immediately after the rainy season ends, as many as between six and nine months, in the case of cassava for example, would elapse before the food availability in the villages could get close to normal.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has promised to increase its technology transfer in the affected villages through programmes, including the introduction of faster growing and higher yielding varieties of cassava, which is the staple in those remote communities.