REGION 2 (Pomeroon, Supenaam) Chairman, Ali Baksh has reported that the situation regarding the irrigation of more than 32,000 acres of rice fields across the region is under control.
He made this disclosure during a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, as he related the progress of the interventions taken.
Last Thursday, Baksh stated that the region’s rice crop was in jeopardy due to a continued dry spell affecting several areas.
Due to this prolonged weather condition, the water in the conservancy had dropped to alarmingly low levels and the relevant stakeholders met to discuss a plan of action, which included pumping water from the Pomeroon River to Tapakuma Lake to the conservancy, in an effort to irrigate the affected lands.
Speaking of the success of the intervention to date, he said, “We have received $2M from the Ministry of Agriculture and we have used this to purchase fuel to continue pumping water into the affected areas.”
And so the situation has improved in most of the areas and this has been further assisted by heavy showers experienced over the past two days, Baksh related.
In addition, the Regional Chairman explained that many of the farmers located in several high areas have been “helping themselves to keep the water levels under control.”
Continuing, Baksh noted that because of the decision taken by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Drainage and Irrigation, the Ministry of Agriculture and the various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC), the integrity of the Region’s crop is protected.
“The situation is presently under control, there are good levels of water in the Mainstay and Capoey Lakes right now,” he assured.