The La Niña season has passed, and as the Agriculture Ministry prepares for the upcoming May/ June rainy season, it is faced with the critical task of assessing the effects of La Niña and providing support to farmers who would have suffered losses.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud
On Wednesday, May 4th, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has identified critical dams that were in need of grading to enable farmers to transport their paddy from the fields to the mills. Because of the flooding in some rice cultivation areas, harvesting was delayed for some farmers. The GRDB has contracted the Rice Producers Association (RPA) to execute rehabilitation of priority dams. The RPA, in conjunction with regional officials, has already commenced work in Regions Two, Three and Five, Persaud said.
Farmers who lost their rice crops have started to receive monetary compensation from the government. Voucher distribution is also ongoing in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six; and approximately 178 farmers have received vouchers at a total cost of $15.154 million after the completion of an assessments and verifications of acreages of rice crop lost had been undertaken.
Some farmers have also received seed paddy and fertilisers for their next crop.
Meanwhile, livestock farmers are still receiving veterinary assistance from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA). The ministry reported that thousands of animals were affected by the recent flooding along the coast and in Region 10.
The water level having receded in some of the areas, feed supplements such as bran, grass, straw and molasses are presently being distributed to farmers in Regions Three, Four and Five, which were most affected.
More than 10,000 gallons of molasses have been distributed so far, as well as the replacement of chicks and ducklings, with 1,180 chicks and 1,843 ducklings distributed to date.
More than 2,500 farmers of traditional and non-traditional crops have received assistance.
Distribution of planting materials and chemicals is ongoing so as to assist the farmers.
In Region One, 25 villages received assistance under the ministry’s relief package plan. Delivery of assistance to Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and 10 are expected to be completed by the end of the second week of May 2011.
