Region Three riverine farmers receive $22.6M in flood relief grants

Farmers of Bonasika, Aliki and Lanaballi in Region Three on Friday received government’s flood relief cash grant to assist them with getting back to their lands. The farmers from the three riverine communities received a total of $22.6 million.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, MP, facilitated the distribution exercise.

The farmers said the assistance from the government will help them get back to their livelihood.

Walter Sukoo, a farmer of Lanaballi said he has been farming all his life but it was the first time that he had experienced a flood of such magnitude, where he lost almost all of his produce. The 83-year-old said he has depended on farming to sustain his wife and children.

Sukoo said he plants bananas, eddoes, plantains and cash crops on over 70 acres of land. The farmer noted that the cash grant is a relief especially since his farm was severely flooded and is still remains waterlogged.

“I am grateful to government for this assistance. Government has always been ready to assist farmers in this area,” he said.

Another farmer, Pooran of Aliki,  and Marilyn Crichton of Lower Bonasika expressed similar sentiments.

Pooran said “this grant is going to truly help our people. I myself would have gone through some loss; I know some of my colleagues would have gone through similar losses but we want to thank you as a government to see how important it is to support us.”

“It would help me to replace my loss after the heavy rainfall lots of the sucker died, the farm was under water. Some of what I plant, I had to plant all over again and it is a great loss. So, I am very much thankful for the money and the replacement,” Crichton stated.

Minister Indar said government always responds to the needs of the people. The minister told farmers that the flood affected every region and was deemed a national disaster.

“We cannot compensate you for everything, your loss, the worry, the tears. People woke up in the morning and saw that everything was damaged. It was hard. I can tell you; I have been around the country, but our government is one that responds and we respond positively,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, farmers who had issues receiving their grants were assured by Minister Indar that they would receive the assistance soon. The flood relief cash grant was announced by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali earlier this year to assist farmers to get back to the land after they were devastated by the flood. A total of $7.8 billion was invested.