-as Guyana launches first ever national strategy
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha yesterday noted that because traditional approaches to dealing with climate change are no longer sufficient, Guyana’s National Drainage and Irrigation Strategy 2030 worth US$500,000 was developed to modernise the current system and strengthen the country’s resilience to changing weather patterns.
The strategy, being implemented by the Global Green Growth Initiative (GGGI) with support from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), also intends to address flood protection and increase water availability for agriculture.
Mustapha was speaking at a soft launch for the strategy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Regent Road, Bourda, where he noted that a bigger launch will occur within a few weeks in a village where direct beneficiaries are present, such as farmers.
“The National Drainage and Irrigation Strategy 2030 promotes a coordinated national approach to modernizing Guyana’s drainage and irrigation systems. It provides a framework for improving infrastructure, governance, and institutional capacity to enhance water management, increase agricultural productivity, reduce flood risks, and strengthen climate resilience, the Ministry of Agriculture shared, adding, “The strategy also places significant emphasis on integrated, data-driven, and participatory approaches that are aligned with national development priorities and international best practices.”
According to Mustapha, this is the first time the NDIA has developed a published strategy which would eventually be made public. He spoke about changing weather patterns and observed how rainfall intensity has increased significantly, with areas now experiencing five to six inches of rain within an hour instead of the two to three inches that previously fell over an entire month.
As a result, he offered that the drainage system must be strengthened to cope with the impacts of climate change, which he said is affecting one of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
He said that Georgetown currently has 16 operational pumps, along with a number of functioning sluices and canals, but acknowledged that these are insufficient to prevent flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. Additionally, he said that 92 sluices have been identified for rehabilitation or replacement.
High-level canals are also being constructed in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) to facilitate 24-hour drainage, while more than 63 pumps have already been procured for installation in various parts of the country, Mustapha shared.
Chairman of the NDIA Lionel Wordsworth said the strategy will have three phases of implementation aimed at improving services, while also addressing the impacts of climate change. He noted that approximately US$500,000 was invested in the preparation of the document, which focuses on modernising the country’s drainage and irrigation systems.
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