Drainage, dollars, and delivery: the inter-agency effort reshaping agriculture in Region 5

At the heart of Region Five’s (Mahaica-Berbice) agricultural performance in 2025 was a reality long acknowledged by farmers but often understated in policy discussions: no single agency can carry the burden of agricultural development on its own. From drainage and irrigation to extension services, fertiliser distribution, and livestock development, the year’s outcomes in Mahaica-Berbice were driven not by isolated interventions, but by sustained inter-agency collaboration that translated planning into measurable results on the ground.
Reviewing the operations of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) for 2025, Regional Chairman Ricardo Phillips underscored that coordination among national and regional agencies was not optional but essential. He pointed to the intertwined roles of the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA), the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), noting that each agency’s mandate fed directly into the success of the other.

For rice farmers in particular, the connection between drainage, irrigation, and production outcomes was evident throughout the year. Region Five sowed 82,675 hectares of rice in 2025 and harvested 82,412 hectares, achieving an average yield of 6.6 tonnes per hectare.
These figures, Phillips explained, did not emerge in isolation. They reflected years of drainage maintenance, improved access to lands, and the availability of extension support that allowed farmers to make better production decisions in the face of rising input costs and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
A key pillar of this performance was the close working relationship between the RDC, NDIA, and MMA/ADA in maintaining and expanding the region’s drainage and irrigation infrastructure. During 2025, some 1448 kilometres (km) of channels were maintained under the oversight of these agencies, while routine preventive maintenance was carried out across major drainage canals and networks throughout the region.
In addition, approximately 1046 km of access dams were maintained, improving physical access to rice lands and reducing transportation and operational costs for farmers moving machinery, inputs, and harvested paddy.
The scale of drainage works under NDIA alone illustrated the depth of investment required to keep the region’s agricultural engine running.
The programme represented an investment of approximately $1.4 billion, a figure that reflected both the cost of large-scale civil works and the government’s assessment of drainage as a non-negotiable foundation for agricultural productivity.

Long-term strategies and parallel support
Beyond routine maintenance, 2025 also saw the continuation and expansion of longer-term flood mitigation strategies, particularly through the construction of so-called “Hope-like” canals. These structures, modelled after systems introduced elsewhere in the country, are designed to improve water flow, reduce flooding in vulnerable farming communities, and open new lands for cultivation.
In Region Five, construction commenced on canals stretching from Mahaica to Mahaicony and onwards from Mahaicony to Abary. Once completed, these works are expected to open between 4000 and 5000 acres of land, benefitting rice farmers as well as cash crop and livestock producers.
Phillips noted that these infrastructure projects could not achieve their intended impact without parallel support from agencies responsible for farmer services and inputs. This is where the Guyana Rice Development Board played a central role during the year, particularly as rice farmers grappled with escalating production costs. Through collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and regional authorities, GRDB helped facilitate the $300 per bag intervention promised by President Dr Irfaan Ali, a measure aimed at cushioning farmers against market volatility and rising expenses.
GRDB’s contribution extended beyond direct cash support. Fertiliser assistance formed another major component of inter-agency collaboration. Additional support came in the form of seed paddy assistance, as well as chemicals to combat paddy bug infestations that threatened crop quality and output.
Taken together, these measures represented an estimated $1.8 billion in direct assistance to the rice sector in Region Five during 2025.
Phillips described this approach as emblematic of a people-centred development strategy, one that acknowledged both the economic pressures faced by farmers and the importance of safeguarding national food security.

Ripple effects
The ripple effects of inter-agency coordination were also evident beyond the rice fields. Livestock development, long viewed as a complementary pillar of agricultural diversification, benefited significantly from the involvement of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority. Throughout 2025, GLDA continued to deliver extension services, technical advice, and direct support to farmers across the region, working closely with the RDC and other agencies to target interventions where they were most needed.
Among the notable initiatives was the Black Giant chickens programme, which provided farmers with improved livestock assets aimed at boosting household income and food supply. Other poultry farmers also benefited, with 1000 ducklings distributed across the region, while the Barbados Black Belly Sheep Project supported 118 farmers seeking to expand small ruminant production. In a further effort to strengthen livestock operations, 54 sheep and goat farmers were allocated five acres of land each for rearing purposes, easing longstanding land access constraints.
Cattle and dairy development featured prominently as well. During the year, 21 zebra bulls were distributed to farmers to improve breeding stock, while 17 dairy farmers each received a locally bred heifer. These interventions were complemented by routine but essential services such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer, farmer training programmes, and on-farm visits, all aimed at improving productivity and herd quality over the long term.
Honey production and apiculture also received attention, with beekeepers benefiting from the distribution of equipment and protective gear.
According to Phillips, these smaller but targeted interventions reflected an understanding that agricultural resilience depends not only on large-scale crops but also on diversified income streams that can buffer rural households against shocks.
The performance of NAREI during the year further highlighted the value of coordination across agencies. Through its fertiliser distribution programme, NAREI facilitated the distribution of 3019 bags of fertiliser to farmers in Region Five. In addition to material inputs, NAREI continued to make regular visits to remote areas, providing technical advice to small-scale and cash crop farmers who often have limited access to formal extension services.
Infrastructure supporting agricultural value chains also featured in the year’s review. Phillips pointed to the commissioning of the abattoir at Onverwagt as an important development for livestock farmers, offering improved slaughtering facilities and the potential for higher standards in meat processing. He noted that private sector partners, including entities such as GuySuCo, continued to support regional agriculture through equipment, technical assistance and land access, underscoring the broader ecosystem required for sustained growth.
By the end of 2025, approximately 3185 cattle had been slaughtered in the region, a figure that reflected both increased livestock activity and the gradual strengthening of supporting infrastructure. While some initiatives were still in transition, Phillips emphasised that the cumulative impact of these efforts was already visible in improved production levels, reduced flood-related losses, and enhanced confidence among farmers.

Collaboration
Importantly, the Regional Chairman was careful to situate these achievements within a broader continuum of leadership and planning. Having assumed office in October 2025, Phillips acknowledged that many of the year’s initiatives were conceptualised and implemented under his predecessor and the former Vice Chairman, Rian Pieters. He described the progress seen during the year as the result of continuity in policy direction and cooperation across political and administrative lines at the regional level.
From a community perspective, the effects of inter-agency collaboration extended beyond balance sheets and production statistics. Improved drainage reduced the frequency and severity of flooding in farming communities, protecting homes, livestock, and crops. Better access dams lowered transportation costs and improved safety for farmers moving equipment and produce. Extension services and input support translated into higher yields and more predictable incomes, helping families plan for education, healthcare, and reinvestment in their farms.
At a time when climate variability, global market pressures, and rising input costs pose increasing challenges to agriculture, the Region Five experience in 2025 offers a case study in the practical value of coordination. By aligning infrastructure development with farmer support programmes and ensuring that agencies worked in concert rather than in silos, the region was able to deliver tangible outcomes that resonated across its rural communities.