– …farmers to be continuously engaged as process continues
THE excessive rainfall caused by La Nina, compounded with the spring tides that were higher than normal, posed the most challenges for riverine communities; and for areas like Mahaica and Mahaicony, the situation was further compounded when the Maduni and Lama sluices were opened to release excess water from the conservancy.
The East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) rose to threatening heights in mid-March, forcing the decision officials called a “painful” move, which saw an increase in the accumulation of water levels in both lands under cultivation and residential areas.

The communities that were inundated are now in the process of struggling to return to normalcy, but are significantly hindered considering that their main source of income, their crops and livestock, have been affected and, in some cases, devastated.

FOCUSED SUPPORT

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, in an invited comment, told the Guyana Chronicle that his ministry is taking a focused approach to assisting affected farmers, particularly in the riverine communities, where the river defences were limited when matched against the challenges that prevailed.
“We have been able to stave off a repeat of the 2005 disaster. We have more than 40 percent of the rains this year than we had then, he said.
“Because we made improvements to our drainage capacity, we were not only able to stave off a catastrophe, but we were also able to contain the impacts on sugar, rice, livestock and cash crops,” Persaud said.
“Already some farmers, especially the rice farmers, are returning to normalcy, and others are in the process,” Persaud said.

More importantly, the Agriculture Minister stressed that farmers are engaged on a continual basis as La Nina support initiative rolls out.
He explained that assistance package targets livestock, cash crop, rice and even private cane farmers.
The assistance includes veterinary assistance and replacement of animals for livestock farmers; seeds and fertilizers for cash crop farmers; seed paddy, fertilizer and fuel to drain lands of the accumulated water,for rice farmers.

Persaud said another tangible means of support is the establishment of fixed clinics in the regions where La Nina has made its mark.
He explained that the clinics are held on weekdays and provide farmers with an opportunity to access technical assistance to further assist their return to production.

DIFFERENT RESPONSE

Speaking of the support mechanisms in place for those affected, the Agriculture Minister acknowledged that the Mahaica/Mahaicony area, Region Five (Mahaica/ Berbice) was the most affected, followed by areas in the Pomeroon, Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Canje Creek, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), and other low-lying communities.
Persaud said, “The Mahaica and Mahaicony areas are the most affected so those areas will be treated a little differently to ensure that they can recommence their activities.”

The Agriculture Minister stated that these areas will have sustained support.
The support to farmers is critical, considering that, economically, the agriculture sector contributes to 35 percent of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP); 40 percent of export earnings; 30 percent of the country’s workforce, and is an important food source for the population.
Region Five by itself has the most lands under cultivation, as well as the most farmers involved in rearing livestock in the country.
And so the question of disruptions in supply arises, and according to Persaud, there will not be many disruptions of supply to the local, regional and international markets.
“We hope to meet the demands for supplies to our markets,” he said.
He acknowledged, however, that there will be disruptions in income earnings, but he made it clear that the Government of Guyana and Ministry of Agriculture are working to support households.
However, he said, as a policy, support will not be in the form of cash payments.
“Support will not be in the form of cash. The distribution of vouchers started on Monday and those can be used to get materials, livestock and other inputs,” the Agriculture Minister said.
A visibly distraught Region Five farmer, Mr. Dewan Shrikant, 30, told the Guyana Chronicle that he lost some 79 head of cattle, a fact confirmed by an Agriculture Field Officer on the ground.
The farmer, from Gordon Table in the Mahaicony River, said his losses are estimated at over $4M.
Shrikant noted that the loss is a big blow for him, considering that he has a family to look after, with children attending the University of Guyana.
He acknowledged that he does not expect ‘compensation’, but estimated that monetary assistance in the sum of $1M will help to put him back on his feet and meet the outstanding expenses he has.
Several other farmers that the Guyana Chronicle spoke with contend that the problem is not only being able to return to productive activity, but being able to address the expenses incurred in serving the crops that were lost.
For many livestock and cash crops farmers, the blow was even more severe, since the cash crops perished faster than other crops. For example, with rice, farmers were still in luck a week after their crops were inundated.

The view on what was the most suitable form of support varied from one area in Region Five to another.
One cash crop farmer from the Mahaica Creek area, Mr. Hanceraj Maniram, said tangible support can be quality planting materials.
He pointed out that the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) had distributed tomato seeds and the fruit resembled a plum, and did not have much value on the markets.
Maniram acknowledged that monetary compensations will not be possible since one bed of crops is worth some $500,000.
“We are labourers and the work we do is not easy and when we end up in this situation we suffer big,” he said.