A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Nina Flue-Bess has sounded the alarm over what she describes as a worsening agricultural crisis in Mocha Arcadia, where recurring flooding has left farmers counting millions of dollars in losses and renewed scrutiny is being directed at the state of drainage infrastructure and the management of public resources.
In a statement, Flue-Bess said the devastation facing farmers extends far beyond seasonal rainfall and points instead to long-standing drainage failures that residents believe have been exacerbated by development activities and incomplete infrastructure works in recent years.
The MP said farmers are once again watching crops perish and livestock losses mount as floodwaters inundate agricultural lands that have sustained generations of farming families and supplied food to markets across Georgetown and the East Bank Demerara corridor.
Residents contend that the problems can be traced to years before the 2015 General and Regional Elections, when modifications to drainage channels and shrinking waterways associated with expanding developments along the East Bank contributed to significant agricultural losses.
In response, the APNU-led administration launched the Rural Agricultural Infrastructure Development (RAID) Project in 2015, a programme designed to rehabilitate drainage systems, improve agricultural access and restore confidence among farmers.
According to community members, those interventions helped revive agricultural production and laid the foundation for the growth of what became the community’s largest market in 2019.
However, Flue-Bess said many residents believe those gains are now being reversed.
Farmers contend that critical drainage canals have been blocked, narrowed or altered to facilitate construction in neighboring communities, increasing the volume of water being directed into the Number Three Canal, one of the area’s principal drainage outlets.
Residents further claim that while plans reportedly included both a koker and a pump to improve drainage efficiency, only the pump has been operating over the past two years.
“They argue that the absence of a completed drainage system has left farmers vulnerable to recurring flooding,” Flue-Bess stated.
The situation has also prompted questions about accountability and whether public funds allocated for drainage and agricultural infrastructure have achieved their intended objectives.
According to the statement, residents are seeking answers regarding the status of funds previously allocated under the RAID Project, as well as the costs associated with operating pumps for prolonged periods without the completion of permanent drainage solutions.
For many farmers, the concern is no longer simply about recovering from the latest flood but whether agriculture can remain viable in the community if the underlying drainage problems remain unresolved.
Beyond the immediate losses, Flue-Bess warned that the consequences extend to national food security.
Mocha Arcadia has long served as an important agricultural hub, producing vegetables, livestock and other commodities for consumers in Georgetown and surrounding communities. Repeated flooding threatens not only the livelihoods of farming families but also the stability of local food supplies at a time when Guyana continues to promote agricultural expansion and regional food security.
“Residents argue that the failure to implement permanent drainage solutions and protect productive agricultural lands undermines national efforts to strengthen food security and reduce dependence on imported food,” the statement said.
The concerns come as Guyana positions itself as a leader in CARICOM’s drive to reduce the region’s food import bill and diversify economic activity beyond the petroleum sector. Successive government announcements have emphasized agriculture as a pillar of long-term development, making the plight of farmers in one of the country’s established farming communities particularly significant.
Flue-Bess said residents fear that continued neglect of critical agricultural infrastructure could undermine those national ambitions.
“Neglect of critical farming infrastructure not only threatens the economic well-being of farming families but also jeopardizes the country’s ability to ensure a reliable and sustainable food supply for future generations,” the statement added.
The flooding has also reignited concerns among residents about decisions affecting agricultural lands in the community. Some have questioned whether adequate consultation has taken place regarding land management and development decisions that directly affect farming activities.
With losses mounting and farmlands remaining submerged, residents say the issue has moved beyond seasonal flooding and entered the realm of public policy failure. They argue that without urgent intervention, meaningful drainage improvements and greater accountability, Mocha Arcadia risks losing productive agricultural lands that have sustained families and supplied markets for decades. The consequences would extend well beyond the community, affecting food production, livelihoods and Guyana’s broader ambition of strengthening food security and reducing dependence on imported food.
