Rice and cattle farmers in Region Five say excavation for a Hope-like drainage canal began without proper community input, threatening their livelihoods.
Excavation work for a Hope-like canal in Abary, Region Five has sparked fierce pushback from local farmers who say they were left in the dark about the project, according to reporting by Kaieteur News. The work began roughly a week before the story was published, with farmers claiming they received no advance notice or opportunity to weigh in on plans that could fundamentally reshape their agricultural operations.
The farmers’ concerns centre on practical matters of survival. A 72-year-old farmer holding a 50-year lease said he attempted to seek clarity from the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary (MMA) authority but found officials either unavailable or unwilling to provide details. Other farmers worried aloud about how they would transport rice harvests or move cattle once the canal divides their land, and questioned whether livestock would have access to water. One farmer with 15 years of experience at the site warned that the project could force abandonment of the lands entirely, blocking both drainage and passage.
The government has framed the Hope-like canal programme as an infrastructure investment designed to improve drainage and irrigation across approximately 186,000 acres between Mahaica and Abary, while opening new agricultural land. Regional Chairman Recardo Phillips told Kaieteur News that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) had conducted comprehensive consultations since he took office. However, farmers disputed this account, saying they were presented with finished plans rather than invited to shape them. One farmer directly cited the 2026 National Budget’s promise to put “people first,” calling the canal project a contradiction of that pledge.
Opposition figures have seized on the dispute. Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed visited the area and warned that the works could affect hundreds of farmers with decades-long ties to the land, accusing the PPP/C administration of attempting to seize privately occupied property. WIN Member of Parliament Natasha Singh-Lewis questioned the canal’s positioning, highlighting the practical impossibility of moving cattle across a new waterway.
The farmers are calling for either a halt to the works or a genuine engagement process to identify an alternative location that would not disrupt their operations. Mohamed urged them to remain vigilant, suggesting the government’s ultimate aim is to force them off their own land.
The Hope-like canal programme is part of Guyana’s wider drainage and irrigation infrastructure push in Region Five. President Irfaan Ali announced in January 2026 that the investment would improve drainage across approximately 186,000 acres between Mahaica and Abary while opening additional agricultural lands for farming.
This story reflects broader tensions across the Caribbean over land rights, agricultural livelihoods, and the balance between large-scale infrastructure development and community consultation. The dispute highlights how development projects can displace or marginalize farming communities without meaningful input, a pattern relevant to agricultural communities throughout the region.
Written & Edited by Orlyn Edwards. Published by Caribbean Air Force Media.
Category: Community · Island routing: Guyana