Georgetown: The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will take the first steps towards upgrading the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) Scheme next year, with hopes that actual work could start as early as 2022.
Chief Executive Officer, Frederick Flatts said that this major undertaking could come onstream once the Government approves the plans.
“The current Phase One where you have developed infrastructure, that’s between the Berbice and the Abary Rivers. For Phase Two, we want to go beyond that and provide proper drainage and irrigation between the Abary and the Mahaica Rivers,” Mr. Flatts said.
The plans are expected to be a boon to rice production if realised.
“Under the Phase Two, we have to look at extending our conservancy up to the Mahaica River. We have to look at providing structures to send the water into the various areas, flood relief structures to get rid of the water when the water in the conservancy is high,” Mr. Flatts added.
Before the start of Phase Two, there will be technical soil studies as well as the structuring and mapping of spots for new conservancy dams. However, one of the environmental concerns will be how the Amerindian community of Moraikobai will be affected.
Consultancies will start for designs and supervision of several market roads, including at Salem, Number 52 Village, on the left bank of the Mahaica and right bank of the Mahaicony Rivers, from Mora Point to first Savannah.
These projects will run alongside the construction or remodelling of dams.
Regions Five and Six will benefit from pump stations, along with Andrews on the Essequibo Coast. There are also plans to address the issue of shortage of water in the front section of Black Bush Polder.
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