DESPITE extreme dry weather experienced over the past few months, Guyana’s rice industry did not suffer tremendous losses as was expected. The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) worked assiduously in conjunction with farmers and other agricultural agencies such as the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA) to bring relief to both rice and cash-crop farmers.
According to a release, even with extremely harsh conditions, Guyana recorded very low losses in rice.
Based on figures collected by the GRDB, 76,717 hectares of rice was planted, and of this amount, farmers recorded only a 4.3 per cent loss.
“Cash crops were also affected, but export data received showed a positive during the period.
“NDIA continued to work around the clock to ensure farmers were getting adequate water supply for their crops. They were able to supply GuySuCo with seven pumps which were strategically placed at Kamuni, Blairmont, Sandaka, Brotherson and Albion, with the two other pumps being placed within the Enmore Estate.
“The NDIA also provided four 120 cusecs pumps for irrigation at Dawa, Region Two and installed and operated two pumps at Maduni to pump water into the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC).”
The NDIA has also installed and operated a pump to supply the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) with sufficient water via the EDWC.
The NDIA currently supplies GWI with 60 per cent of daily water needs to Georgetown.
In Region Six, the NDIA also moved a number of pumps from Eversham, each with the pumping capacity of 40 cusecs and deployed them to Link Canal which served to assist the Crabwood Creek Area.
There were also continuous excavation works done on the irrigation canals at Alness and Maida.
With the need for additional work to be done to ensure farmers were getting adequate water during the period, NDIA’s operation hours increased which, in turn, increased the operation cost of irrigation pumping.
For the period of December 2015 to April 2016, a total of $63,195,205 was spent on fuel to carry out irrigation pumping in Regions Two, Three, Four and Five.
The Ministry of Agriculture remains committed to the people of Guyana and continues to provide assistance to farmers, even as harsh weather conditions pose many threats to their livelihoods.