Farmer Patricia Brookes has planted in Statia soil for quarter of a century; pictured here in front of the Voges House where she sells her produce every other Friday morning.
ST. EUSTATIUS–St. Eustatius farmers are concerned about dwindling water supplies and are critical of local authorities for not already taking action.
Authorities have pointed out that the annual dry season ends this month and new sources of water have been found to secure Statian crops for the time being, but this is not sufficient to quell the concerns of farmers.
“We are trucking daily water supplies from the solar park and the airport runway,” reported Sherwin Henriquez of “Made in Statia” plantation. “Wells are looking very low at the moment.”
“It is fortunate that rainwater can be caught and harvested by the solar panels for just this type of contingency,” said Dr. Teresa Leslie of St. Eustatius Foundation, which promotes entrepreneurial development in local agriculture and farming.
“However, the development of an island-wide watershed environment is long overdue. The plans for improved rainwater management must be emphasized. This includes efficient drainage, infiltration ponds and a more creative use of historical cisterns to conserve the precious water they contain,” Leslie said.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/76489-statia-farmers-concerned-about-water-dry-weather
View comments
Hide comments