NAREI providing support to 32,000 farmers amid heatwave

Farmers across Guyana will continue to receive crucial support to sustain their agricultural productivity during the ongoing heatwave, as the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) increases efforts to prevent the reduction of crops on the local market.
Aids provided to farmers during heatwave include maintaining water levels in conservancies, distribution of seedlings and planting materials as well as training for new farmers.
This is according to NAREI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jagnarine Singh who told Guyana Times on Monday that some 32,000 cash crop farmers have been benefitting from aid over the last two months.
Singh explained that this in conjunction with preparatory works conducted before the dry spell is playing a crucial role in exacerbating challenges related to heat and its impact on agriculture.

In fact, he noted that no cases of severe damage to farmlands as a result of excess heat have been reported thus far.
“We haven’t gotten any request for anything based on heatwave, but we continue to do our whole work. We continue to monitor; we continue to support farmers wherever necessary…With all the farmers across Guyana, over 32,000 cash crop farmers across the country, we continue to support them,” Singh disclosed.
Moreover, Singh highlighted that Guyana’s ability to manage and mitigate the adverse effects associated with the hot climate on farming, is a testament to the works ongoing in the background to increase large-scale production to help achieve a 25 per cent reduction in the regional food bill by 2025, and further support the agriculture sector during challenging periods.
He emphasised that this is reflected in rice production which has doubled in 2024 when compared to 2023 and 2022.
“If you call the rice board and find out what is the yield of paddy in this crop as against last crop, what they are going to tell you is that the yield of paddy in this crop is way more than last year or last crop because more solar radiation, more you can end up getting more harvest,” he added.
In August, the Hydromet Service had predicted above-average temperatures from September through November 2024, which could exacerbate challenges related to heat and its impact on agriculture, livestock, and public health.
Notably, there has been an increase in temperature recorded in Guyana, from January to July 2024, average day time temperatures across Guyana have consistently exceeded the 32°C historical norms, with some months recording higher temperatures when compared to the same period in 2023, which was a record-breaking year.
Normally, up to 35 heat wave days are observed during the September to November dry season. However, there is a significant chance of exceedance, posing risks to public health, agriculture, and livestock.
The Hydrometeorological Service urges all stakeholders to take the necessary precautions during this period of extreme heat. Stay informed of weather updates, implement water-saving strategies, and take measures to protect your health, crops, and livestock. In addition, the department will provide updates to its seasonal outlook as new information becomes available and recommends that special attention be paid to its short-range forecasts and weather analyses, emanating from the National Weather Watch Center.