Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Wednesday said the government is closely monitoring food supplies in hinterland communities as the El Niño phenomenon continues. Mustapha said an initiative is in place to supply communities with basic food items regularly and as the prolonged dry weather persists, the ministry will continue to provide support.
“We are currently monitoring the situation,” the minister said.
For weeks now, farmers and residents in the hinterland regions have been advised to prepare for heightened drought risks in the coming months. Crops, livestock and water supply are also at risk during this period.
Mustapha said the ministry has been working closely with communities in the interior and has maintained support programmes over the years to ensure this dry-spell will not cause major loss of produce or livestock.
“We have a lot of catchment areas in the hinterland and over the years we have a regular programme with them in terms of certain basics,” Mustapha said.
Regions Seven, Eight, Nine and parts of Region Six are areas of particular concern for drought conditions by the end of November.
Mustapha has also urged farmers to pay greater attention to the welfare and nutrition of animals during the period of extreme heat. Farmers are urged to utilise the Farmers ConnectGY application to access information and updates as authorities continue monitoring conditions.
The drier conditions started in September and is expected to continue until November, 2026.
Guyana’s main rainfall peaks typically occur during the May-June and September-December periods. However, the Hydromet Office has said the country may experience below-normal rainfall during the latter part of 2026 and into the first quarter of 2027.
Source: NEW ROOMS SITE
