Disaster risk management workshop gets underway in the Rupununi
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPNOvqQafsw” width=”100%” height=”315″]
− North Rupununi residents being trained in disaster risk management with a focus on agriculture
− project to be implemented across Guyana
DPI, Guyana, Monday, November 5, 2018
Over the next five days, residents from 14 communities in the North Rupununi, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region (Region Nine) will be trained in disaster risk management.
The Participatory Integrated Climate Services of Agriculture (PICSA) workshop commenced earlier today at Bina Hill and is aimed at enabling farmers to make informed decisions.
The PICSA workshop is part of the over $1.4B ($5.2M US) “Strengthening Disaster Management Capacity of Women in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and Dominica” project which is funded by the Japanese government.
Disaster Risk Management Project Manager of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Jason Chacon told the participants that the project is being implemented since “climate information was not being taken into consideration during the execution of agricultural practices.”
He explained the overall project is divided into three phases, preparedness, resilience and knowledge-sharing.
Several residents lauded the initiative as “timely”.
Ryan Benjamin, a farmer in Aranaputa Valley said “it will help farmers to be equipped and better knowing” of agricultural planning and implementation.
Jackie Alicock of Surama shared similar sentiments. She believes this is a great opportunity for residents of the Rupununi especially the farmers since they will receive “first-hand information of what they should expect and how they should go about doing farming.”
The programme will also be implemented in Regions Five, Six, Seven and Eight. These regions are classified as being at a higher risk of flooding and drought.
The overall aim of the programme, which concludes in 2021, is that Guyana and Dominica share their knowledge and implement best practices which will help to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce the risk of disasters.
Anara Khan.
Images: Leon Leung.