By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News |
Farmers in Black Bush Polder on the Corentyne Coast are counting heavy losses after several days of persistent rainfall triggered widespread flooding, submerging farmlands, destroying crops, and disrupting daily life across the agricultural community.
Over the weekend, visibly frustrated farmers met with Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, outlining the extent of the damage and expressing outrage that only a few days of rain had caused such severe flooding, despite significant government investments in drainage and irrigation infrastructure in the area.
Minister Mustapha acknowledged the farmers’ concerns and announced immediate measures to reduce water levels and prevent further damage. He explained that water inflows into the drainage system are being temporarily shut off to drain excess water from both cultivation and residential areas.
To strengthen the response, additional pumps are being deployed at key locations, including Number 43 Village, while pumps at Adventure and Eversham remain operational. The minister also said that smaller mechanical pumps will be placed directly on farmers’ plots to help remove standing water more quickly.
Many cash crop farmers reported that their entire farms were submerged, resulting in millions of dollars in losses. Minister Mustapha said the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will assist by loaning small pumps built by the agency to affected farmers, allowing them to drain their lands as efficiently as possible.
Officials are expected to visit affected farms to assess the full extent of the damage. While rice farmers are expected to benefit from existing agricultural insurance, cash crop farmers voiced concern about the lack of similar protection, intensifying calls for broader risk management support in the sector.
Farmers also questioned how such extensive flooding could occur so quickly, given repeated assurances about improved drainage capacity in Black Bush Polder.
In response to the situation, President Irfaan Ali announced relief efforts via a social media statement. According to the President, eight excavators have been deployed and are actively clearing waterways in the area. Small mechanical pumps have also been installed in affected residential communities. In contrast, an 80 cubic feet per second drainage pump is being transported for installation at the Number 43 Village outfall to supplement existing pumping capacity.
The President added that engineers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority will continue to closely monitor conditions in Black Bush Polder to ensure timely and effective interventions as rainfall continues.
As floodwaters slowly recede in some areas, farmers remain anxious about recovery, replanting, and whether stronger long-term measures will be put in place to prevent similar devastation in the future.
