Following a meeting with several cattle farmers from Black Bush Polder on the Corentyne Coast in Region Six, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha disclosed that works will soon commence to minimise flooding in the Cookrite Savannah.
During a meeting on Friday with Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo in Number 63 Village, Corentyne, cattle farmers complained about flooding and expressed fears of losing their animals due to flooded pastures in the savannahs.
Farmers present were invited to make suggestions on how the savannahs could be drained without causing flooding in the farming and housing areas. After consulting with the farmers, engineers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), and officials from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) several controlled drainage structures will soon be strategically installed to drain the lands in the savannahs.
Another issue addressed was the ongoing conflict between rice and cattle farmers and cautioned the cattle farmers to ensure they put systems in place to keep their cattle out of the farming areas. Rice farmers complained about cattle being in their fields and destroying their crops. Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha shared that the GLDA has been working with farmers to supply wire and posts to develop fencing for cattle to prevent them from going into people’s farms.
Engineers from the NDIA along with farmers and representatives from the Water Users’ Association are scheduled to visit the suggested areas over the next three days to conduct an assessment after which works are expected to commence immediately to bring relief to the farmers.
