- initial focus on D&I upgrading
GOVERNMENT’s vision for advanced agriculture is being pursued in more communities including the East Coast Demerara, where farming activities are being revitalised in areas that were left uncultivated for several years.

During a visit last Saturday to several East Coast Demerara (ECD) communities including Victoria/Belfield, Buxton and Montrose, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, pointed out that initial focus is being placed on drainage and irrigation (D&I) enhancement to encourage farmers to return to the farm lands.

The current investments in the D&I system on the ECD include excavation of drains and canals, repairs to sluices, kokers and intake structures, upgrading of access dams, desilting of outfall channels and re-activation of structures that were closed in the 1970s and 1980s.

These works are intended to encourage farmers to return to re-cultivate the lands by providing the basic infrastructure. It is also in response to the interest expressed by residents to re-develop agriculture in their communities.

The investments form part of the ongoing ‘Grow-More’ initiative that targets increased food production for each household and community to become self sufficient and to aid export growth. In this regard, farmers of the East Coast Demerara communities, like many others across the country, are guaranteed further support in terms of extension services, technical advice, seeds, planting materials and agro-chemicals.

In addition, agencies such as the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) will guide farmers as they embark on the agricultural drive to ensure that their cultivation and livestock rearing activities are market-driven and done on a commercial level. This seeks to ensure adequate food supplies, job opportunities particularly for young people, increased income and improved living conditions.

These interventions and others were outlined to residents and farmers of the various communities by Persaud while he inspected several ongoing D&I projects including desilting of the Buxton pump basin. This project valued approximately $60M will improve drainage and irrigation significantly and will help to minimise the impact of heavy rainfall. The works started last week and are scheduled to be completed within eight weeks.

Another major project is underway at Montrose, East Coast Demerara, to bolster the drainage and irrigation system in that area by reconfiguring a section of the sluice that discharges water from the pump basin. The sluice was out of operation for three years and during the high spring tide and heavy rainfall, drainage was restrained to operation at peak hours.

The ongoing works are estimated at $14M and seeks to remove the use of ‘stop logs’ and tractor to open the existing door for operating the sluice. The project is being done collaboratively by the NDIA and Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) which manages the Montrose pump station.

At Victoria/Belfield, efforts are being made to repair a sluice to serve as regulator for releasing water from the Hope drainage system into the Victoria channel where it could be discharged effectively through the pumps located nearby. This system is being put in place for use only when the water is high in the Hope area.

The works, expected to commence within the next two days will be carried out collaboratively by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, the farmers’ group and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in the Victoria/Belfield area.

Other works being pursued to enhance drainage and irrigation on the East Coast Demerara include a programme for desilting the various outfall channels. At present, NDIA is awaiting completion of pontoons to transport its long-boom excavators to clear the outfalls.

Region 4 (Demerara/Mahaica) Chairman, Clement Corlette, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NDIA Lionel Wordsworth were among those who accompanied the Minister.