Suriname’s rice cultivation sector faces an escalating crisis as critical irrigation systems remain inoperative for nearly a week due to generator failure at the Wakay pumping station. Farmers in the Nickerie region report increasingly dire conditions for their spring crops, which urgently require irrigation during the crucial fertilization period.
The infrastructure breakdown has forced agricultural workers to deploy personal pumps at substantial personal expense, despite critically low water levels in irrigation canals. With temperatures rising and rainfall remaining absent, the situation approaches a critical threshold that could jeopardize the entire planting season.
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Mike Noersalim confirmed to media sources that a replacement generator will arrive Saturday afternoon, with Pumps 1 and 4 expected to resume operations over the weekend. The minister emphasized that adequate fuel supplies are available and that proper governmental procurement procedures required obtaining multiple quotations before approving the replacement.
This incident marks the latest in a series of operational challenges plaguing the Wakay pumping complex. After considerable efforts restored three of four pumps to functionality in late 2024, the system has repeatedly encountered failures related to both fuel supply shortages and mechanical defects.
Local agricultural producers express profound frustration with what they perceive as bureaucratic delays in addressing critical infrastructure needs. Many question why authorities cannot readily procure a $3,000-$4,000 generator for a sector of national economic importance, despite having approached multiple institutions for assistance.
Minister Noersalim is scheduled to be in Nickerie during the weekend to personally address the situation and engage further with sector representatives.