MMA/ ADA working round the clock to drain lands after flooding

The Mahaica/ Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Development Authority says it is working around the clock to bring relief to all persons affected by massive flooding that has hit several low-lying communities on the Upper West Coast of Berbice and the Lower East Coast of Demerara.

In an interview with this publication on Thursday, March17th, MMA/ADA General Manager Aubrey Charles stated that the heavy downpours over the past week have left more than 70,000 acres of rice under several inches of water.

Charles disclosed that the Mahaica/Mahaicony area is the largest under rice and cash crop cultivation, and crops as well as cattle have been tremendously affected by the floods.

The infrastructure of the area is the least developed in the scheme, and farmers depend heavily on the Mahaica and Mahaicony rivers for drainage, but these rivers are currently swollen. In the other two areas, Abary/ Berbice and Abary/ Mahaicony, drainage is slow but the situation is less critical.

Under major threat, farmers are being provided with fuel by MMA/ADA to pump water off their lands, while excavators are being used to empolder the low-lying lands.

To bring more relief, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is clearing the Abary outlet leading to the Atlantic Ocean.

Charles stated that, during his field trips, farmers have reported having sick animals, and veterinary staffers from the Agriculture Ministry have been working to help farmers save those sick animals.

In addition, the drainage and irrigation workers are clearing the community drainage network to allow the water free access to the primary drainage canals.

Charles revealed that the situation in communities in Abary, Mahaicony and Mahaica has been stabilised, and the drop in the level of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) has been good news. According to him, the cessation of the controlled release of water from the conservancy into the Mahaica river has contributed to water levels also dropping in the farm lands.

At present, a pump is being used to remove water from the Mahaicony/Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS). South of this scheme, a large number of cattle ranches are under water, and the MMA has given farmers permission to use access dams as pastures until the water on the savannahs recede.

At this critical point, the sluices are being monitored closely, with officers venturing out into the night to ensure that the sluices are manned effectively.

Rice farmer A Khan of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, following his return from checking his rice fields on the right bank of the Abary, said that, if the water does not recede within seven days, his hundred acres would be lost. As the water in the fields recedes, the paddy is flattened, making it difficult to mechanically harvest the fields. He said other farmers have water in their fields, but because his rice is almost ready for harvesting, his losses would be massive.

Region Five is one of the leading rice and beef producing territories in Guyana, and its economic activity has been severely affected by the flood waters. However, the MMA/ ADA general manager expressed confidence that the rice and cattle under threat would be saved if there is no rainfall over the next few days, as the water on the land drains off.