Irrigation water rationing may become necessary if Guyana’s prolonged dry spell worsens, Chief Hydrometeorological Officer Dr Garvin Cummings has warned, as reduced rainfall and higher temperatures continue to place pressure on the country’s agricultural water supplies.
“The first one is water rationing might be essential…” Cummings said during an El Niño Stakeholders Preparedness Forum on Monday, explaining that rationing could be targeted to areas facing the greatest need if supplies become strained.
The forum brought together Government officials, technical agencies and farmers to discuss measures to protect agricultural production during the dry period. Cummings told the gathering that Guyana is already experiencing reduced rainfall and higher temperatures, with forecasts pointing to continued dry conditions.
His warning comes as farmers in some communities report difficulties accessing sufficient water for their fields. A farmer from Nabaclis said farmers in the area normally depend on water from Cove and John but are now seeing significantly lower levels.
“Right now we’re having a problem with getting water for the farmers in the area because we usually get water from Cove and John. And we went up there, we find the trenches getting very low.”
The farmer also raised concerns about blockages affecting the movement of water through the irrigation network and called for canals that have not been cleaned for years to be rehabilitated.
Farmer Marcia Morrison appealed for additional water storage in her area, saying the existing ponds are inadequate.
“If we could get two or three feet… so we can save water.”
Morrison said farmers also need assistance repairing dams and other infrastructure damaged during the previous rainy season, including equipment to help maintain waterways.
Responding to these concerns, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the response to El Niño cannot stop at simply informing farmers that rainfall is expected to be below normal.
“It is not enough for us to hear from the Hydro Met Office to tell the farmers that rainfall is expected to be below normal. We have to tell the farmers what they should plant, when they should plant it, how much water will they need, when they should irrigate, and what should they do if the dry period continues or becomes longer than expected?”
Mustapha said farmers need information that can be directly translated into decisions on their farms, including crop selection, planting schedules and irrigation requirements, adding that the Ministry’s extension services and technical agencies have a responsibility to ensure they receive it in a timely and practical way.
He also pointed to Government investments in drainage and irrigation infrastructure, including pumps, canals, sluices, conservancies and high-level canals. Two high-level canals are currently being developed in Regions Five and Six and, while intended to improve drainage, can also serve as reservoirs for farmers when irrigation water is needed.
But Mustapha stressed that infrastructure alone will not solve the problem.
“Store water where we have it. Manage it carefully.”
He said the priority during the dry period must be to ensure water is stored when available, carefully managed and delivered to farmers when needed.
On the ground, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is already monitoring major conservancies and irrigation systems across the country. According to NDIA officials, critical water-storage areas include the East Demerara Water Conservancy, the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Conservancy and the Canje Creek system. Pumps are being used to bring fresh water into some areas, while levels are being monitored to identify potential shortages before they become severe.
Repairs to pumps requiring servicing are being prioritised, the NDIA said, with additional pumping capacity being assessed and canals requiring cleaning identified for intervention. In Region Three, two pumps have already been deployed in the upper reaches of a creek to replenish a conservancy serving thousands of acres of farmland.
NDIA officials warned that intervention must happen before conservancy levels reach what is known as the dead-storage level, at which point the system would no longer be able to supply irrigation water. The authority also plans to deploy additional pumps at locations including B-Line and Lenora, while tractor-driven mobile pumps can assist farmers where necessary.
Further east, in Region Six, officials are closely monitoring saltwater intrusion, which could threaten freshwater supplies if saline water moves further upstream. The region has no major conservancy but relies on irrigation pumps to supply farmers, with mobile pumping equipment available where required.
Across the country, NDIA is monitoring irrigation supplies for approximately 237,000 acres of active farmland.
Among the sectors most exposed is rice, given its high water requirements. Mustapha said the Guyana Rice Development Board has already begun advising farmers on irrigation, drainage, crop duration, planting schedules and water management, while farmers are being encouraged to consider drought-tolerant or shorter-duration varieties, as well as water-saving practices.
