The Ministry of Agriculture’s Hydromet Office wishes to advise farmers and residents that the current El Niño conditions will prevail into March or early April of this year.
To mitigate the impact of these conditions, the Ministry of Agriculture since mid last year had embarked on an aggressive programme aimed at supporting farming communities and residents. In excess of $250M has been expended with some $3.2M spent daily to operate 23 irrigation pumps in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. A joint taskforce consisting of key stakeholders was formed to formulate and make necessary interventions.
The taskforce had noted that if these conditions prevail, there may be an issue with the availability of water as is the case currently. All the country’s conservancies are now operating below their dead storage level. Farmers are urged to be more coordinated and cooperative so as to avoid disputes among themselves, to adhere to the irrigation time schedules and time-locked periods in the various regions, to use re-circulation methods when possible, to avoid wastage of water, and to desist from tampering structures and cutting of dams.
In addition, because of the low level of water at the Shelter Belt, which provides water for the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), water is now being pumped at Nancy, Region Four, from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC). Further, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has been pumping water from the Mahaica River into the conservancy to sustain the integrity of the dams. Water is currently being pumped from the conservancy to the LBI and Enmore estates. At Lima Sands, Region Two, works are completed for the installation of four tubes to source water from the Lima Swamps, while a key irrigation canal is being dug to source fresh water at Mahaica. This costs $12M.
In Region Six, a key irrigation pump was repaired to the tune of $3M which is now supporting the Black Bush Polder farming community. The Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on an aggressive programme of monitoring the situation on the ground and has been advising farmers on how to cope with the conditions. Veterinarians have been treating animals and nutritional supplements are being provided in some cases.
Where salt water may have intruded into farming communities, planting materials are being collected and preserved for use on the onset of rains. In hinterland communities, tanks and other storage material for farine have been provided to residents to process their cassava. The Ministry of Housing and Water and the GWI are advising that, due to the prolonged dry season, there has also been a significant decrease in the water level at the Lamaha Canal. The canal serves a large portion of Georgetown and its environs,  and GWI is issuing an appeal to customers to be prudent in the use of water. In addition, the GWI was prompted to solicit assistance from the NDIA’s EDWC Board as there was a decrease in the water level of the canal.
The NDIA is currently mobilising pumps that will replenish the Lamaha canal by pumping water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy into the canal, which is utilised by GWI’s Shelter-Belt Water Treatment Plant. This is to ensure there is no significant reduction of water pressure during the dry season. The Ministry of Housing and Water is urging customers to be sensible in their use of water in light of the prolonged dry spell. It is urging that customers across Guyana utilise water for beneficial purposes only and to avoid using water for unnecessary chores such as washing concrete surfaces or using GWI’s supply to wash cars.  Further, customers must be cognizant that they are supplied with safe, purified water which should be used for domestic purposes only.
The Ministries of Agriculture and Housing and Water wish to exhort both farmers and residents to conserve water until the prolonged dry spell comes to an end.  (GINA)