The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will take steps to upgrade the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary-Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) Scheme in 2021 with the hope that actual work could commence in 2022.
Chief Executive Officer of NDIA Frederick Flatts
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the body, Frederick Flatts in a recent interview with the Department of Public Information noted that this major undertaking could come onstream once Government approves the plans.
“The current Phase One where you have developed infrastructure, that’s between the Berbice and the Abary Rivers. For Phase Two, we want to go beyond that and provide proper drainage and irrigation between the Abary and the Mahaica Rivers.”
The plans are expected to benefit rice farmers and to an extent rice production if it becomes a reality.
“Under the Phase Two, we have to look at extending our conservancy up to the Mahaica River. We have to look at providing structures to send the water into the various areas, flood relief structures to get rid of the water when the water in the conservancy is high,” Flatts added.
Before the start of Phase Two, there will be technical soil studies as well as the structuring and mapping of areas for new conservancy dams. However, one of the environmental concerns is the effects it will have on Moraikobai, an Amerindian reservation in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
Consultancies will start for designs and supervision of several market roads, including one at Salem, Number 52 Village, on the left bank of the Mahaica and right bank of the Mahaicony Rivers.
These projects will run alongside the construction or rehabilitation of dams in the area.
In addition, Regions Five and Six will benefit from pump stations, along with Andrews on the Essequibo Coast. There are also plans to address the issue of shortage of water in the front section of Black Bush Polder.
