THE time may have come for serious consideration about inland development and relocation from coastal areas, where heavy rainfall usually means extensive flooding and destruction to especially the agricultural sector.
Agriculture Minister Noel Holder pointed to the ongoing threat of Climate Change. He told flood-affected farmers in Region Six that even as the government plans to strengthen infrastructure to tackle flooding and rising sea levels, the natural phenomenon is one that continues to create conditions for these unwanted occurrences.

Rice, cattle, cash crop and other farmers were heavily inundated in several parts of the country during last week as persistent rainfall, overflowing of waterways and blocked drains contributed to the situation.
In the East Berbice location, where farmers expressed difficulty with getting water off the land in a timely manner, Minister Holder pointed to the persistent rainfall and the high water levels that prevented the outflow of water through kokers.
The minister reminded that the rising sea levels are not helping the situation, since it becomes difficult for water to get off the land. “It means the efficiency of our kokers is severely compromised.” The minister explained that while the koker is opened to let water off the land at low tide and closed to keep water out when the tide is high, this is not possible with persistently higher tides due to rising water levels. This then results in less drainage time, where once water could be let off the land for eight to nine hours that could then be reduced to six hours or less.

Government is working assiduously to employ mitigation strategies to tackle the situation. The Agriculture Minister said he has been informed of increased pumping capacity in a number of highlighted parts of the country.  Additionally, another 14 pumps are expected to be in the country from India to add to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority’s (NDIA) pumping capacity.
Outside of this, the other aspect of mitigation in the face of Climate Change is adaptation, the minister said.

“So as a nation, we have to explore trying to move a large part of our agricultural base away from the coast to higher ground, as you see it really doesn’t have much of a future… and in the short term, a small country like Guyana doesn’t have much it could do.”
NDIA CEO Fredrick Flatts had stated that traditionally, areas within the East Berbice district would flood on a regular basis and the NDIA’s main defence has been to increase capacity. He said that currently, efforts are being made to access equipment that can help pump increased amounts of water to address the flood situation.

Where equipment is able to pump some 1200gal of water per second, this would significantly improve the situation in affected areas. This is being followed up with the Finance Ministry, the CEO told the residents.
Minister Holder said that in an 83,000 square mile space, with some 750,000 citizens, 80 percent of them live on the low-lying coastland in a space of 200 miles long, and 30 miles wide, below sea level. This, he said, is a huge problem for drainage and irrigation.