Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud briefs the media on La Niña response, on March 18 at the Agriculture Ministry
Government has said that the cost of relief interventions for farmers affected by flooding has amounted to some Gy$255 million.
This sum includes the cost for completing emergency drainage works and for those still ongoing at various locations, as well as assistance to cushion the loss of rice, cash crops and livestock.
While outlining these interventions during a media conference at the Agriculture Ministry last Friday, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said that, although Guyana has experienced more rainfall this period than in 2005, the state’s response has averted a national disaster. “The news has so far been comforting,” the minister declared, pointing to losses which he dubbed “minimal” in the various agricultural sub-sectors.
The rice industry, he said, has lost just about 60 acres in the Mahaica area. Harvesting has since resumed, and already over 1000 acres have been reaped as of last Thursday, March 17th. The minister commended all stakeholders for their efforts during the La Niña weather phenomenon, and applauded rice farmers for maximizing the opportunity days. He noted that some farmers have been harvesting their crops into the night to get the paddy out of the fields since the rains stopped.
Sugar, on the other hand, has only lost opportunity days during which 9,000 tonnes of the commodity could have been produced. Production has also restarted in this industry, as five of the eight factories have commenced grinding as of last Friday.
Further, the minister said, losses in the cash crop and livestock sectors have been limited, although 72 calves died at Abary.
Despite the impact on the farms, Persaud maintained, the situation has not affected food production, and exports are still ongoing. He iterated the need for residents to remain “vigilant and be on guard,” as the rains are likely to continue, and he assured that response interventions would continue.
The various agencies would also remain in emergency mode moving straight into the May/June rainy season.
The ministry’s employees continue to assess and respond to farmers’ needs.
At the time of this report, most of the floodwater had receded from the inundated areas, and only a few villages in Regions Three and Four were minimally affected. With good weather prevailing in the coming days, the agriculture officials predict, the flood waters would completely drain off the land.
In the meantime, government’s relief assistance to affected areas would continue. For rice farmers, the relief package comprises maintenance of dams and supplies of seed paddy and fertilizers, the value of which is approximately Gy$24 million. The Agriculture Ministry has been providing fuel to farmers to help them operate pumps to drain water off their lands, and the ministry is looking at additional resources to support water users associations (WUAs) and other local bodies to upgrade access dams for rice farmers.
Affected livestock farmers are expected to benefit from veterinary supplies and possible replacement of some of their lost livestock. A sum of Gy$9.2 million has been earmarked for these activities.
Another Gy$13.1 million will be spent on providing planting materials, agro- chemicals and fertilizers to cash- crop farmers who are affected by the flooding.
