Cash crops damaged countrywide due to severe flooding – CDC

…over 100 farms are still inundated

The Government, through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), is continuing to respond to several reports of flooding across the country caused by consistent rainfall and over-topping of waterways.
Recently, technical teams were recently dispatched to several administrative regions, including Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) to assess damages to farmlands.
According to CDC, the villages of Itaballi and Eteringbang in Region Seven reported impacted farms and households due to rising waters and consistent rainfall.
The commission, however, is experiencing difficulties with bringing relief to farmers in those villages, given that its airstrip is not operational as a result of heavy rainfall and storm like weather.
Additionally, residents of Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), specifically Monkey Mountain, Chenapau, Taruka and Kopinang Village also made reports about damage to their farms, noting that acres of cassava crops are lost.
High winds also partially damaged two homes, the occupants have since relocated with relatives.
Further, over a 100 farms in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are still inundated and as a result, large sums of cash crops are damaged.
Roadways and bridges in this particular Region are also inaccessible, which is preventing the free flow of persons and supplies.
One such pertinent piece of infrastructure was the Pirara Bridge, which recently underwent repairs.
Meanwhile Region 10 (Upper Demerara – Upper Berbice) has confirmed that a number of communities have been affected by flood waters, but those waters are receding.
In this regard, more than a total of three hundred (300) households and farmlands have been impacted thus far in areas such as Wismar, Mackenzie, Christianburg, West Watooka, Hymara Creek, and Green Valley. Rockstone is also impacted by rising water levels from the Essequibo River and at least two families have evacuated their home temporarily.
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is working along with the various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) to assist persons affected by providing them with cleaning and food hampers, mosquito nets and buckets, as they await a recession of the flood waters.
In fact, since the commencement of the May/June rainy season, CDC has distributed over 800 hampers countrywide.

Precautions
In April, farmers and other large-scale companies in the agriculture sector were advised to plan ahead as an unusual weather forecast was predicted for the May-June period.
During an interview with this publication, Chief Hydrometeorological Officer (CHO) Dr Garvin Cummings disclosed that farmers countrywide were asked to harvest drought-tolerant crops early, collect water from trenches and conservancies as well as clear drains and other water ways to assist in flood mitigation.
Moreover, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) Jagnarine Singh shared similar sentiments at the time.
Singh told this publication that the agency is anticipating losses coming out of the dry season, and as a result, fertiliser, seedlings and other agricultural inputs will be made available to farmers to go back to the crop.
However, he explained that in the meantime the institution is encouraging farmers to find innovative ways to cultivate and care for their crops. “One of the emphasis we got is the use of smart agriculture… So, we recommending that farmers look at shade houses, raising beds and other normal things that they can do. But we prepared to assist the farming community that’s our role and since the year start, we have money in our budget to do those things,” Singh said. (G1)