FARMERS at Hope Estate, East Coast Demerara, were yesterday assured of every support by Agriculture Minster, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who addressed drainage and irrigation concerns, minor inconveniences as a result of works ongoing at the Hope Canal.
Speaking on behalf of the group of 20 farmers was Roy Doodnauth, who explained that work on the canal has proceeded without alternative drainage measures being put in place for farmers in the area.
Doodnauth added that the Hope Canal, its banks and the drainage trenches on either side of the banks are supposed to have taken up some 300 feet altogether, but contends that the canal and the banks alone have taken up that space, cutting further into farmers’ lands.
“They coming over more on the farmers land and we have more trouble with the drainage…they should have done the drainage before they start digging the canal,” he said.
SRKN’gineering Consultants’ Dr. Krisna Narine, in speaking to the farmers, stated that the drainage needs will be addressed on a short term basis, adding that the permanent drainage trenches will be done in time.
The farmers countered that they will have to be compensated if crops are lost, but Narine stressed that efforts will be made to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to ensure that lands can be drained and that farmers can access water for their lands.
Also, Narine made it clear that the works will not encroach on farmers’ lands by going beyond the 300 feet as initially indicated.

COOPERATION
The Agriculture Minister, in assuring the farmers of the necessary support, also called for cooperation among stakeholders.
He pointed out that the Hope Canal project will in the long term bring greater benefits for the agriculture sector.
“In doing such a major project there will be some discomfort, but we will work to ensure that these discomforts do not place our farmers at a disadvantage,” Ramsammy assured.
According to him, a team will be in the area at least once every fortnight to ensure that the concerns of the farming community at Hope are addressed.
“We will be here to ensure that there is reasonable progress in addressing your concerns,” he said.
The Hope Canal project is expected to be completed in 2013, and will be the largest such structure in Guyana – a massive canal with an eight-door sluice.
Technical support has been secured by engaging SEMCO, a leading designing firm, whose function will be a supervisory role. SEMCO had partnered with SRKN’gineering Firm and Mott MacDonald, a British firm of international reputation, when the studies on water flow of the conservancy and the entire design of the project were conducted.
The drainage and irrigation capacity has improved from 2005 to now, given that the weather conditions experienced earlier this year, which were much worse than in 2005, could have turned into a “catastrophic” situation. Guyana was able to stave off any disaster, clearly reflective that the improvements in infrastructure and general investments in drainage and irrigation have paid off.
However, the drainage and irrigation capacity caters for 1.5 inches of rainfall and of recent, the country saw as much as 8 inches of rainfall, making the Hope Canal a much needed intervention as it will indubitably increase the capacity of the country’s drainage and irrigation systems.
The East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC), a huge reservoir, holds over 100 billion gallons of water, with a capacity of 59 Georgetown Datum (GD). On average its levels range between 50GD and 57GD.   
The new northern relief channel at Hope/Dochfour on the East Coast Demerara, which is expected to boost the drainage capacity of the EDWC and also provide relief to the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary and East Coast Demerara communities during periods of prolonged and heavy rainfall.