A management committee of farmers, representatives from the Water Users Association (WUAs), and relevant officials has been formed to oversee the effective management of water resources in approximately 32,000 acres of farming land in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
The committee will also work with the ministry to ensure informed decisions are made relating to water resources management in the region.
Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha made the revelation as he engaged several farmers and other stakeholders at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Headquarters in Region Two on Wednesday.
He reminded all stakeholders of their responsibility to work together to ensure smooth management of the water resources amidst the prolonged dry season, which is affecting the agriculture sector.
He also mandated that the committee meet once weekly and reports filed daily.
“We have to work together and I am hoping that at the end of this meeting, we have a multistakeholder group formed in the region, that group will monitor the situation, and work to put systems in place so that we can have the problem solved as early as possible,” the agriculture minister stated.
After listening to farmers’ suggestions at the meeting, Minister Mustapha said that consultations will be held to reach a consensus on the sectionalization of water resources.
Farmers were also informed that the dry season is expected to shift to the wet season by month end, according to a prediction from the ministry’s Hydrometeorological Service.
In the meantime, systems have already been established to ensure farmers benefit from water resources to sustain their crops. More interventions for Region Two farmers were also announced by the minister. “I have instructed that we [NDIA] look at the system at Good Hope area where we can also have some pumps there to tap up the system from that end. I am hoping that mechanism be put in place in another day or two and we can have the system boost up from that end,” the minister disclosed.
Minister Mustapha was accompanied by the Regional Chairperson, Vilma DaSilva, the Director General at the ministry, Madanlall Ramraj, representatives from the Regional Democratic Council, and heads of various agriculture agencies.
