– support to be sustained through to May/June rains, Persaud
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, at a press conference yesterday, announced $225M in La Nina relief interventions to support those affected, especially farmers, to get back into production.
He added that there are few “dry days” likely between now and the May/June rains and the interventions will be sustained through that period. According to the minister, seed paddy, fertilizers and assistance to have access dams in good condition will cost some $24M to support the rice sector, with additional support to Water User’s Associations and Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs).
Veterinary supplies and replacement of livestock are expected to cost some $9.2M and, for the cash crop farmers, planting materials, chemicals and fertilizers are expected to cost $13.1M.
Emergency drainage and irrigation works are estimated to cost some $190M, to ensure that support is given to regions across the country.
Other support will be in fuel for farmers in affected areas, such as Mahaica and Mahaicony, to bolster drainage of water off lands under cultivation.
He added that excavators have been redeployed to several areas to assist in other works.
Persaud maintained that the support will not be in cash, rather will be in kind to ensure that farmers are able to make most of the opportunity days.
He pointed out that currently some 10 teams are also out, providing support to those in the affected areas.
Persaud made special mention of the commitment and dedication of the ministry’s officers, who have been going beyond the call of duty.
He acknowledged that while early interventions have seen the impacts being minimized, the difficulties faced by farmers have not been underestimated.

Estimated Losses
Persaud said apart from some communities in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara) and Four (Demerara/ Mahaica), the other regions do not have areas under water.
He noted that the communities in the affected regions are expected to have waters drained off within 12 hours, once the weather holds.
Generally, residential areas have not been impacted in a large way.
However, in the rice sector, assessments are continuing and Persaud said some 60 acres of rice have been lost in the Mahaica area, while some other areas remain under threat.
He stressed that teams from the ministry are out providing assistance to ensure impacts are minimized.
In the sugar sector, Persaud said the crops were not affected, but because of the weather conditions, the opportunity to produce 9,000 tonnes of sugar was lost.
The sugar estates were literally shut down for about a week, but up to yesterday five estates were up and running.
Persaud said other crops, including cash crops, were affected at a minimum, and the livestock sector saw the younger animals at threat in the Abary and Mahaica areas, with few of the small animals dying.
He stressed the need to be vigilant and on guard in light of the unprecedented events that are occurring – stemming from the climate change phenomenon that, not only Guyana, but the world over is facing.

Regional Status
Several initiatives were undertaken in the different regions and, according to Persaud, are as follows:
Region Two
* Pumps operable at Charity, Andrews, Perth, Lima, Anna Regina and Cozier.
* Water discharged at Unu Creek, Somerset and Berks, Riverstown and Good Hope.
* CDIP workers have assisted with placing sand bags at overtopped areas such as Zorg-en-Veldt and Anna Regina. They also assisted in sealing the breach at the Golden Fleece conservancy.
* Pumps working at Lima and Anna Regina.
* The relief outlets at Unu Creek and Capoey are open.
* Sluices from MRC to Somerset and Berks are open during the low tide. All are operable.
* Sandbags were placed at Onderneeming and Aberdeen by CDIP workers where overtopping occurred.
* Machine sealed breached at Unu Creek suffered from overtopping, which was addressed with placement of sandbags.
* Machine built embankment at La Union and Onderneeming.
* At Queenstown, sand bags were placed to stop overtopping and a machine heightened the embankment in the area.  
* Regulators opened at Adventure to facilitate drainage.
* Abandoned relief at Onderneeming opened.
* Overtopping at Zorg-en-Veldt and Anna Regina sealed with sandbags by CDIP workers.
Region Three
* NDIA’s dredging equipment was deployed to Den Amstel.
* Irrigator pump was deployed to Patentia.
* Excavation works undertaken at De Kinderen/Meten-Meer-Zorg and pump deployed to the Meten-Meer-Zorg area.
* NDIA deployed excavator to Schoonord area.
* Rehabilitation of the Blankenburg sluice door completed and currently works are ongoing on the Salem sluice door. 
* NDIA’s pontoon and excavator dredged the Windsor Castle outfall channel.
* Excavation works undertaken at Canal Polders, Windsor Castle and Parika back.
* NDIA completed the rehabilitation of the Stanleytown pump bypass channel and has re-deployed a mobile pump from Leguan to Blankenburg.
* Monthly maintenance cleaning of Canal No.1 and 2 main drains.
* Excess water discharged at Warmina five door sluice through Bonasika Creek into the Essequibo River.
* NDIA deployed mobile pump from Leguan to Blankenburg.
* Leguan, Theirens sluice heavily silted up. Dredging will be carried out by NDIA equipment.
* Dredging ongoing at Vergenoegen.
* Region D&I taskforce cleared blocked drains and canals.
Region Four
* Pumps were deployed and installed at Farm, Herstelling, Jimbo, Little Diamond and Peters Hall, EBD.
* Pumps operable at Annandale and Lusignan.
* NDIA’s CDIP workers are assisting in clearing internal canals at Grove, EBD.
* Pump installed at Hand En Veldt, Mahaica. 
* Two tractor pumps installed at Buxton.
* Pump to be installed at Cane Grove.
* Pump deployed to Helena, Mahaica.
* Irrigator installed at LBI.
* Irrigator deployed to Paradise/Foulis. 
* Additional pump installed by GuySuCo at Montrose and irrigator at Strathspey.
* GuySuCo pumps operable; 6 pumps operable at LBI, 5 at Montrose and 3 at Ogle.
* Drainage pumps are operable at Hope, Melanie and Victoria.
* Excavation of the Triumph pump basin has been completed along with the excavation of the Annandale bypass and installation of a drainage tube.
* Tractor pumps installed at Craig and Friendship, EBD.
* NDIA completed repairs to the Mosquito Hall sluice winch.
* NDIA building dam at Cane Grove.
* Tractor pumps installed at Craig South, Grove South and New Hope. 
* Excavation works undertaken in areas such as Cane Grove, Agriculture Road and Hope.
* Tractor pumps set up at Joyce Phillips, Cane Grove and Supply, Mahaica
* NDIA  mobilized excavator to do excavation works at Timehri
* A mobile pump installed at CPCE and UG campuses and NDIA excavator working to clear and isolate drains.
* Additional tractor pumps operating at Buxton and Mahaica.
* Farmers will receive fuel from MOA to assist with pumping.

Region Five
* The dredging equipment is undertaking work at the Abary Creek mouth.
* Farmers will receive fuel from MOA to assist with pumping.
* Retrieve sluice opened.
* Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) installed mobile pump at Zorg En Hoop along with drainage tubes.
* MMA/ADA installed pump at Belladrum.
* Pump installed at Blairmont.
* NDIA deployed two excavators to clean Perth Biaboo canal, Mahaica/Mahaicony.
Region Six
* Pump deployed to No.19.    
* The NDIA’s Community Drainage and Irrigation Project (CDIP) workers assisted with the clearing of drains in critical areas.
* Excavation of the Lesbeholden, Eversham and No.43 outfall channels has been completed.
* NDIA excavators carried out works at Lancaster
* Excavator deployed to Sheet Anchor along with mobile pump.
* Pumps operable at Seawell and another was deployed to the No.19 area.