THE government is strengthening irrigation and water-storage measures to protect agricultural production, as Guyana enters what Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha described as one of the country’s most extreme El Niño periods.
Mustapha made this disclosure on Monday during a meeting with representatives of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), where challenges facing farmers and the wider agriculture sector were discussed.
The minister said there is a 97 per cent chance of persistent drought-like conditions across the country, prompting the Ministry of Agriculture to intensify preparations to ensure adequate water supplies are maintained for farmers.
He said the country’s established water conservancies are currently at full capacity, while additional systems are being put in place to strengthen water availability during the prolonged dry conditions.
Ahead of the dry season, the ministry has also provided additional water-storage tanks to farming communities in hinterland areas and constructed reservoirs to increase access to water for agricultural activities.
He said that dual-purpose structures established during the rainy period as part of the ministry’s mitigation efforts have also been activated and are now complementing the existing systems to help maintain water supplies for farmers and other stakeholders.
Minister Mustapha said the measures are aimed at reducing the impact of the prolonged dry conditions on farmers, and ensuring that agricultural production can be sustained throughout the El Niño period.