Canal No 1 Polder farmers continue to lose crop as flooding persists

The cash crop farmers in Canal No 1, Polder, West Bank Demerara, (WBD) continue to live in a state of distress as their produce are dying out as a result of excessive flooding in the area.

The farmers’ crops have been under water for the past month. The farmers are now forced to count their losses which amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The flooding, residents claim, are as a result of poor drainage systems in the areas.
Presently, the canal is overtaken by vegetation, causing it to be clogged. Compounding the situation, stones and asphalt from a road which broke away some time ago have slipped into the canal causing the water to remain on land.
According to the farmers and hundreds of affected residents, the area has always been affected by flooding, however, this is the first time that they have been affected for such an extended period.
Works have in the past been carried out by the Neighbouring Democratic Council (NDC) to clear the drainage system however, the farmers are contending that the said work was not properly done.
The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Three (3) has also been made aware of the situation, however to date, no intervention is forthcoming.
Ramzan Shaw, a farmer who has lost over $300,000 worth of crops and who continues to lose, is now crying out for help.
According to the farmer, his livelihood is being threatened since over 30 peach trees, 20 breadfruits trees and several others crops have died due to excessive water.
Shaw calls for a channel to be dug which will see the water on the land being drained off at a rapid pace.
“The canal in front of us, it is full of moss, what they do is they come and weed it top top and after two mornings, it grows back and flood again. Now they need to dig a channel in the canal, build the dam which will leave the channel in the middle so that the water can keep running off” Shaw said.
According to the farmer, if those responsible for the drainage system visit the area to hear the residents’ concerns, then flooding would not be an issue since it can easily be fixed with the proper intervention.
Another farmer, Anil Seegobin also reached out to this publication. “You can tell that if this flood here last lil longer, that all me tree them go dead out, me really glad if somebody can come and help, we out man,” the man said.
Efforts made yet again to contact the RDC on Sunday proved futile.