–to ensure ongoing, future works deliver maximum value to farmers, residents

AGRICULTURE Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Wednesday, met with engineers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to discuss strategies aimed at improving the agency’s operational efficiency and enhancing project outcomes across the country.
According to a press release, during the meeting, Minister Mustapha highlighted the NDIA’s critical role as the primary body responsible for delivering drainage, irrigation, and other essential infrastructure services nationwide.
He stressed that the agency must function at the highest standards to ensure that ongoing and future works deliver maximum value to farmers, residents, and other key stakeholders.
Minister Mustapha reiterated that all projects must be informed by the needs and concerns of local communities, particularly farming populations, to ensure they are both relevant and impactful.
Present at Wednesday’s meeting was the Ministry of Agriculture’s Director General, Dhaneshwar Deonarine; NDIA Chairman, Lionel Wordsworth, and NDIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (ag), Timothy Innis.
It was recently announced that every pump and sluice would be brought online and connected directly to a single electronic platform within one month.
This will allow the NDIA to monitor operations in real time, view the status of stations, and speak directly with operators on duty.
Officials will also be able to check on sluices at any time, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring. Once fully online, the electronic platform will eliminate the need for constant phone calls and manual reporting.
The use of technology in monitoring aspects of drainage and irrigation aims to strengthen the government’s operations and provide a higher quality of service Guyanese receive from public institutions.
Some $73.2 billion has been set aside for the upgrade and expansion of the national drainage and irrigation (D&I) network this year.
Of that sum, over $15 billion has been budgeted to complete works on Hope-like canal structures in Region Six, advance works in Region Five and commence works in Region Three.
The allocation will also target the completion of pump stations and advance other critical D&l canals and structures, including areas such as Adams Creek, Canefield, Good Hope and Mabaruma.