The Ministry of Agriculture last week rejected Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed’s claim that rice and cattle farmers on the left bank of the Abary Creek had not been consulted before excavation began in the area, saying it has been engaging affected landowners and occupiers since April 2022.
Its statement followed a video posted on Mohamed’s Facebook page showing him speaking with farmers near excavators at work. Several of the farmers questioned how the project would affect their land, cattle and access to their farms. One rice farmer said he should have been told what was planned before work began.
“This is not right,” the farmer said. “They should have come and let me know what going before this.”
In the video, Mohamed said one of the cattle farmers had used the land for 60 years and relied on it to provide for his family. He accused the government of sending in excavators without consulting those directly affected.
“These are transported lands,” Mohamed said. “You cannot bully people.”
The ministry, however, said consultations and negotiations with affected landowners and occupiers had been ongoing since April 2022. It said the most recent engagement was held on September 21 and that discussions would continue in accordance with the law. The works, it added, were being undertaken as public works under the applicable legal framework.
The statement did not identify those who attended the September 21 engagement or say whether the farmers interviewed by Mohamed had been consulted individually. It also did not explain what arrangements have been made where excavation affects a farmer’s access to land or cattle.
The exchange in the video suggested that this distinction remains important to the farmers. Asked whether the Minister of Agriculture, President or Vice President had met with them, an older cattle farmer replied, “At no time.” He expressed concerns about the effect of the excavation on land he uses for cattle farming.
Another farmer raised the practical question of how cattle would be moved once the canal was dug. Mohamed and the farmers also questioned how the work would affect rice cultivation nearby.
In its statement, the ministry said the Abary Creek drainage and irrigation project was intended to improve water management, strengthen resilience to flooding and expand agricultural production. It listed high-level embankments, internal drainage and collector canals, a high-level canal, bridges, culverts and sluices among the planned works.
Citing a feasibility assessment, the ministry said approximately 55,281.97 acres between Mahaica and Abary were expected to gain access to improved drainage and irrigation infrastructure. About 300 farmers in the Abary area were expected to benefit directly, it said.
The ministry also cited estimated net annual economic gains of more than $1.595 billion in Region Five and more than $3.85 billion across Regions Three and Six.
“The attempt to portray this transformational project as a threat to the livelihoods of rice and cattle farmers is not supported by the facts,” the ministry said. It maintained that the project would increase productive capacity and support farmers over the long term.
Mohamed questioned why a new canal was being excavated when, according to him, an existing waterway nearby had been left in disrepair. He also questioned the cost of the work and alleged that contracts were being created to benefit persons close to the government.
WIN parliamentarian Vishnu Panday, who also spoke in the video, argued that clearing and improving existing waterways should have been considered. He said some farmers had transported land and questioned whether the works had been discussed with them or compensation arrangements made. He warned that a new canal could affect cattle farmers if suitable crossings and water-control measures were not provided. Parliamentarian Natasha Singh was also present.
The ministry said it would continue engaging stakeholders while proceeding with the project. For the farmers shown in the video, the immediate concerns are more specific: whether the works will take up land they use, how they will reach their farms and move their cattle, and what arrangements will be made for any losses. The ministry’s statement did not provide those details.
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