–    Partnership quintessential, says General Manager Aubrey Charles
The Mahaica Mahaicony Abary-Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) supports nearly half of the national rice production, about 30-35 per cent of all livestock (mostly cattle) production, and 10-15 per cent of national sugar production.
MMA/ADA General Manger, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, stressed that with its scope of work, the Authority is essentially looking to provide better support services to the farmers.
“This is what we do, so that farmers can get better yields and bring their production costs down, but we need their support,” he said.

Charles explained that the MMA/ADA’s focus is essentially primary and secondary drainage and irrigation works in the Mahaica/ Mahaicony/ Abary scheme, as well as the rehabilitation of structures to support agricultural activities.
He accepted the criticism that the MMA/ADA has been seen as not doing enough to support farmers.
However, the General Manager sought to explain and pointed out that in 1998, farmers were required to pay the MMA/ADA $3,550 per acre per year for works to be done, but at a public forum indicated that they would handle the secondary drainage and irrigation, which is essentially the maintenance of drains and canals near their rice fields.
This done, the subscription to the MMA/ADA was reduced to $1,763, which still stands. The problem, Charles said, came because this arrangement was not honoured by all the farmers; for example if there are 10 farmers in one area, not all did what they were supposed to, and without everyone doing his part, all the farmers would eventually suffer.
“All this time we have been focusing on the primary drainage and irrigation works and the other structures we were supposed to address; in 2008 we took over the secondary drainage and irrigation works and there was 268 miles of drainage and irrigation works that needed to be completely rehabilitated,” he said.
To date, Charles, said 80 per cent of these drainage and irrigation channels have been completely rehabilitated.
The General Manager stressed that the MMA/ADA is committed to the work it does, but reiterated that the support of all stakeholders is essential.

Challenges

Charles said that as with any endeavour, the MMA/ADA’s efforts have been plagued by different challenges, foremost among these being the non-payment of fees by farmers.
“To date, we have collected about 50 per cent of what we have to collect; this is the tenth month in the year, so we should have collected more, around 75 per cent,” he said.
Also, he noted a constraint with insufficient resources, particularly machinery.
“We have well over 400 miles of access dams that need to be worked on, so you can see the problem we have with limited resources…two weeks ago we held a meeting to work out a plan because we are in harvesting season now and the access dams have to be in order,” Charles said.
So far, according to him, that plan is working relatively well.
Another major challenge is the erratic weather patterns, and this wreaks havoc on completed work.
Charles said, “Sometimes you do work, like rehabilitation of a dam, and then there is heavy rainfall and that sets us back, as tractors still have to move along the dams and that makes the dams bad, sometimes undoing what we did.”
Acknowledging that these are challenges that need to be addressed, the General Manager said, in collaboration with stakeholders, solutions are being devised to ensure that the farmers come up against less difficulties.

Charles said famers are welcome every Friday at the Authority to address whatever concerns they might have.
So far, according to him, 2010 was a fairly successful year, as 80 per cent of the capital works of the Authority’s programme has been completed.
He pointed to the construction of primary drainage and irrigation channels, rehabilitation of primary drainage and irrigation channels, construction of access dams to link farms, and the rehabilitation of several structures, which include sluices, among others.
Additionally, the Guyana Chronicle spoke to several famers and the consensus was that, notwithstanding the successes achieved, more could be done during the dry season.