Rice farmers in Guyana facing reduced cultivation due to climate crisis

From a distance, rice farmer Jagdesh (only name given) stands pointing at lands that were once bountiful and suitable for rice cultivation on the island of Leguan in the Essequibo River.

Lands for the past three to four crop cycles have been abandoned by farmers because of changing weather patterns on the island. Cultivating rice has become tougher, pushing traditional farmers to find alternative means of survival. “If you look across there (pointing to the empty fields), all there used to be rice fields waiting to be cut or already prepared for the next crop around this time,” Jagdesh explained as he spoke of the challenges they have been facing due to unfavourable weather conditions.

During a visit to the island in December, from a drive around it was observed that many farmers have abandoned their farmlands. The unfavourable weather patterns have led them to rack up losses crop after crop.

“I planted seven acres and my son planted a bit more but we couldn’t reap because the rain was too much. We had to just watch the rice go bad. If we had put the combine in the fields we won’t be able to go back for the next few crops,” a frustrated farmer on the island, who didn’t want to be named said.

Rice farming in Guyana requires much labour. The lands are first cleared of weeds and tilled in preparation for the sowing of paddy. The field is flooded after and water levels are monitored as the plants grow. This is followed by continuous monitoring and application of pesticides and fertilisers until harvesting.

“It has become difficult for us to plan because we don’t know what lies ahead.  What we are seeing, has to be climate change. Because here we’ve been farming for years this is what our parents brought us up on,” another farmer injected.

guyana
Abandoned rice fields in Leguan

The unpredictable weather pattern has left many farmers losing on the crop and the continuous heavy rainfall has left several in debt. Younger farmers have been forced to reconsider alternatives to provide for themselves and their families.

“We cannot continue to invest or not get back money to pay our debts. It’s frustrating. It is hard because the bank doesn’t want to hear you’re not reaping rice  when it’s time to pay up,” Jagdesh pointed out.

A few farmers have to transition to livestock and cattle rearing. Some rice fields have been converted to pastures as farmers explore alternatives to supplement their income. A handful of others who continue to plant rice have experimented with bananas alongside rice to cushion the losses in the  crop season.

The farmer said they saw this as a viable option since those crops are likely to withstand the extensive rainfall.

With rice being the main income earner for residents on the island, traditionally over 2000 acres of rice would be cultivated per crop season. Now plagued with intensive rainfall, farmers have reduced cultivation drastically. In the last crop, less than 2000 acres were planted and approximately 230 acres were recorded as lost. That acreage, a source within the rice industry explained, accounted for approximately $20 million in losses. Paddy was sold at $3700 per bag.

The source further explained that due to the impacts of rainfall last year, less farmers have returned to cultivate rice this year. “We have about ⅓ of the total lands on the island cultivated…” he said.

However, the situation on the island is not unique, along the Essequibo Coast, farmers were also impacted by extensive rainfall.

In Berbice, Regions Five’s and Six’s productivity also dropped, and the two of the largest rice cultivating belts have also been hit by unfavourable weather conditions. President of the Guyana Rice Producers Association Lekha Rambrich said this has been one of the years they experienced low yields due to the rainfall.

Rambrich, who is also a rice farmer and knowledgeable about the industry in Berbice explained that they too experienced excessive rainfall preventing many farmers from being able to prepare their lands in time for cultivation. He stated that unpredictable and abnormal rainfall has been occurring for the past three years.

“The lands become so saturated you cannot go into reap nor you cannot go into preparing it… We have seen rain falling in April and October when normally it just drizzles but these past years it has been continuous,” he pointed out.

From predictions, this crop season is expected to be dry and farmers are hoping the predictions are true as it would be favourable to them and allow farmers who have paused planting to prepare their lands for the next crop.

Since the change in weather conditions, there has been a significant decrease in rice production. He said from a total of 235,000 acres of rice lands only 180,000 is being cultivated in this crop.

“The weather condition has been so severe farmers who suffered losses were not able to return right away because they didn’t have the money to go back and prepare the lands. Even when you don’t make large profits you go back and prepare the land for the next crop but if you keep counting losses you will not be able to farm,” he said,

Additionally, he pointed out that with low production, millers are also unable to sign new contracts to keep their markets or go after new markets.

Meanwhile, while there are some varieties of rice such as the GRDB15 and 196 that can withstand climate impacts, farmers opt for varieties that provide higher yields like the GRDB 16 and 10.

guyana
A cultivated rice field in Leguan

Financing

With such major losses occurring at once, questions have been raised as to whether it is time for a fund to be established to support the industry.

Rambrich, while supporting the idea, said it is very technical as farmers are barely profiting from their cultivation and might need help to contribute to the fund. He however noted that in a government-sponsored fund, where farmers can access loans and grants, some might not want to repay.

At the moment, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha said there is no fund in place to support farmers who suffered as a result of climate change.

However, he stressed that through the Guyana Rice Development Board, there is funding to assist farmers through initiatives other than cash handouts.


This story was originally published by Stabroek News, through the Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship, which a joint venture between Climate Tracker and Open Society Foundations.

slot maxwin slot ovo starlight princess live casino slot zeus pg soft slot olympus ibcbet maxwin slot thailand slot pgsoft slot slot mahjong zeus slot digmaan slot mania slot pulsa jdb slot slot777 slot shopee slot spade gaming slot thailand slot thailand slot thailand slot gacor slot mahjong roulette habanero sv388 joker123 fafaslot pgsoft mahjong wins jdb slot slot thailand slot gacor slot mahjong slot gatotkaca pg soft pragmatic play slot bank bsi slot bank jago lucky neko spaceman slot olympus slot88 starlight princess slot dana digmaan joker123 zeus slot slot mania slot habanero idnslot slot pulsa jdb slot slot hoki fafaslot nolimit city slot princess fafaslot fafa slot slot princess slot 77 slot pulsa slot bri slot ovo slot gopay slot jepang slot 777 slot88 slot ovo slot gopay slot jepang slot 88 slot receh slot 123 joker123 slot princess slot kamboja roulette online baccarat online idn poker dragon tiger nolimit city slot dana thailand slot slot gacor slot thailand slot mahjong mahjong ways slot88 slot dana joker123 slot maxwin slot88 slot dana joker123 slot maxwin slot mahjong slot gacor slot thailand slot mahjong slot gopay slot88 slot thailand slot zeus sbobet slot toto slot server thailand slot thailand slot77 slot gacor slot thailand slot server thailand slot thailand akun gacor slot maxwin slot gacor slot thailand slot kakek zeus Pg Soft Maxbet Ibcbet Starlight Princess Slot Ovo Joker123 Mahjong Ways 2 Sv388 Sbobet Slot Dana Slot Thailand Slot Thailand Digmaan Sv388 Joker123 Mahjong Ways 2 Slot Dana Slot Gacor Slot Anti Rungkat baccarat roulette sicbo casino online sv388 tembak ikan online sbobet slot macau slot thailand slot thailand slot maxwin slot88 slot88 slot deposit ovo situs slot wwg slot slot thailand wm casino tembak ikan slot thailand slot wala meron slot nolimit city slot pg slot gacor slot88 slot50000 slot mahjong slot thailand 66k bet slot daftar judi slot online indonesia slot mahjong ways slot thailand mahjong ways slot gacor slot mawin slot gacor slot gacor slot gacor slot thailand slot thailand slot gacor slot ovo slot gacor slot gopay slot gacor slot gacor slot thailand slot gacor judi slot slot thailand slot thailand slot thailand slot mahjong ways 2 slot pragmatic slot demo pragmatic slot demo pg soft demo slot pragmatic slot gacor 4d slot pg soft pgslot pgsoft pgsoft sv388 slot88 pgsoft slot thailand slot88 slot thailand slot gacor slot ovo slot dana fafaslot slot ovo slot jepang judi slot gacor slot rusia Situs Daftar Judi Slot Mahjong Ways 1 dan 2 PG Soft Online PG Soft : Daftar Situs Judi Slot Online Gacor Slot Kakek Zeus RTP Slot > Daftar Situs Judi Slot Gacor Mahjong Ways 2 PG Soft : Daftar Situs Judi Slot Online Gacor Terbaik Situs Slot Online Gacor Dan Agen Slot Pragmatic Play Terpercaya Slot Gacor: Situs Slot Online Pragmatic Play & Bocoran Pola Slot Situs Slot Online Terbaik Terpercaya dan Terbesar di Indonesia Slot Kakek Zeus Daftar Link Slot Olympus Terbaru Slot Dana Daftar Judi Slot Online Indonesia Paling Gacor di Indonesia Sabung Ayam Online Sv388 Daftar Situs Judi Slot Online SLOT88 SLOT PG SOFT GACOR Bandar Slot Daftar Situs Judi Online Terbaik & Terpercaya Gacor power gaming sv388 lucky neko slot gacor slot gacor slot88 slot kakek slot pg slot kakek zeus slot dana slot maxwin slot server luar negeri slot thailand Link Daftar Situs Judi Slot Deposit Dana 20RB Tanpa Potongan Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Link Daftar Situs Judi Slot Deposit Dana 20RB Tanpa Potongan Slot Pragmatic - Link Alternatif Judi Slot Online Gacor Kakek Zeus Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Daftar Slot Dana Daftar Slot Dana Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play lucky Neko Daftar & Login Slot PG Judi Slot 88 Online Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Slot Mahjong Ways 2 Mudah Jackpot Paus di PG Soft Hari ini 2023 Lucky Neko Situs Slot Gacor Pgsoft Hari Ini Slot Pragmatic - Link Alternatif Judi Slot Online Gacor Kakek Zeus SITUS SABUNG AYAM SV388 ONLINE DAFTAR LINK LOGIN APK AGEN SV388 Daftar Judi Slot Online Indonesia Paling Gacor di Indonesia SBOBET Login Agen Judi Bola Sbobet Mahjong Ways | Slot PG | Slot Mahjong Ways 2 | Slot PGsoft | Daftar Slot Mahjong Situs Joker123 | Joker123 | Joker Gaming | Daftar Slot Joker Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play Agen Daftar Situs Judi Slot Online Terpercaya Slot Kakek Zeus : Daftar RTP Judi Slot Online Gacor Gampang Menang Joker123 Game Slot Gacor Joker Gaming Casino Online Indonesia Power Gaming : Situs Slot Gacor Online RTP Pragmatic Play slot mahjong pg soft slot gacor slot thailand slot maxwin slot spaceman pg slot