Businessman proposes water channels through Pomeroon farms to ease flooding

Apr 25, 2022 News

…says method cuts transportation cost by almost 40 percent

Kaieteur News – Rooster Coconut Farm located in Caledonia, in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region has been in operation since 2013. Since that time, the farm’s operator, Roopan Ramotar, said it has never been affected by the reoccurring flood situation that is experienced during heavy rainfall and rising tides.
Ramotar owes his anti-flooding success to borrowed farming techniques that are utilised by the Guyana sugar industry in their production of sugar cane. Ramotar has thus urged his fellow farmers to use his farm as a proven method that could aid in alleviating the flooding of their homesteads.

Mr. Ramotar (right) stands with one of his Caribbean customers as workers (in the background) remove coconut from a boat, using one of the mentioned water channels to transport the product.

In an invited comment, Ramotar told the Kaieteur News that he utilises water channels through his coconut farm, just as is used at the GuySuCo estates. As a result of this, the water channels do not only prevent his farm from flooding, but it has reduced his transportation cost by some 40 percent. Using small boats, Ramotar said it is now easier to get his harvested coconuts from the farm to the factory. Additionally, the water ways are used for draining excess water off the land irrigation, and it provides a home for fishes.
Ramotar explained that Pomeroon is low ground, and given the effects of climate change, farmers must now come up with ways to accommodate the challenges rather than fighting against the change or continuing to use the same methods that are no longer proving useful. He further explained that what is recognized with the flooding situation in his location is that, when there is a high tide, especially with heavy rainfall, the Pomeroon River rises and overflows its banks. This causes flooding of all the surrounding areas. What Rooster Coconut Farm has done therefore, is open up water channels that allow the excess water to flow into the canals. During the digging of the canals, Ramotar said that the mud was used to build up massive mud banks, raising the height of the farming area and preventing it from flooding. Whatever rainfall ends up on the farming area, it eventually runs off into the canal.
Ramotar when asked does not believe that the proposed dredging of the Pomeroon River mouth will aid in addressing the flood situation. In fact, he believes that, that action may even increase the undesired phenomenon. He submitted that removing the built up silt from the river mouth would provide an easier flood of water inward. The flooding would be further escalated particularly during high tide and heavy rainfall. The meeting of these two water sources may see an even higher water level onto the land, Ramotar opined. Coupled with that, large amounts of money would have to be spent regularly, to regularly dredge the mouth of the river as silt will again be transported from upstream and settle within a fairly short space of time.
The businessman suggested that the more than G$500M which is pegged to dredge the Pomeroon River mouth could have instead be used to shape Pomeroon farms to accommodate the effects of changing weather patterns. Ramotar is adamant that a change in farming methods is what is truly needed to tackle increasing effects.
Passionate about the success of the farming technique, Ramotar said he has mentioned his idea to several state engineers but they are yet to show interest on the possibilities that exist despite presently, this proven method is what has been saving his coconut plantation from flooding.
Ramotar said, his coconut establishment sits on 500 acres of land. During the flood relief program where government compensated farmers who suffered losses, the businessman said he accepted no compensation because he had suffered no loss. “So, we have to change our methods. People have to come and see what we have here. It works,” Ramotar insisted. “We cannot fight Mother Nature, we have to find ways to work with her.” Rooster Coconut water is distributed to regional and international markets.
Kaieteur News had days earlier contacted Regional Democratic Council Chairperson, Vilma Da Siva to ascertain whether any study or assessments were done to understand the flooding situation in the region. She told the newspaper that consultations were held with residents but could not provide information on any technical review that allowed for specific information on the cause of flooding. She said she was not in receipt of any such documentation.
Last week, the government awarded $569.3M to Gaico Construction Company for the dredging of the mouth of the Pomeroon River. Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha had said that the project would mitigate flooding. He said that “the dredging of the Pomeroon River mouth is a major project. You know the Pomeroon is prone to flooding. When those works are done, coupled with the continued block-drainage programme that continues this year, flooding in this area will be mitigated.”

A bird’s eye view of Rooster Coconut Farm with one of the waterways running through.