Massive drainage and irrigation infrastructure is advancing simultaneously across Regions Three, Five and Six, with Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha projecting that works in the three regions will be completed and operational within two years.
Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI) during an interview on Monday, Minister Mustapha said Region Six is among the most advanced, with two high-level ‘Hope-like’ canals now started.
These new canals will mirror the highly successful Hope Canal along the East Coast of Demerara. They will be designed to drain excess water, prevent flooding, and ensure a reliable irrigation supply for crop, livestock, and rice farming.
One of the canals is being constructed at Number 52 Village, and the other at the Lanchester Area along the Corentye coast. The award process for the sluices has been completed, and work is underway.
“I am hoping by the first quarter of next year, Region Six will be completed,” Minister Mustapha told DPI.
Region Five is also seeing significant improvement. The high-level dam from Mahaica to Itacha has commenced, interlinking canals are underway, and the awards for sluices in that region are expected to be finalised shortly. Two massive high-level canals are also set to be constructed there.
Region Three, where the sod was turned only days ago, carries an estimated completion timeline of approximately 18 months.
“Within two years, you will have all these canals completed and operational,” Minister Mustapha stated, adding that by the end of 2027, both Regions Five and Six would have their canal systems fully functional.
The construction of the Hope-like canals forms part of Guyana’s broader drainage and irrigation modernisation programme to improve agricultural productivity and flood resilience across the country’s key farming regions.
Monies earned from Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 are being reinvested into major projects such as these, ensuring the country is resilient to the impacts of climate disasters.
In addition to flood prevention, the new projects are also designed to open up tens of thousands of acres of new farmland.
