Farmers Warned As Drought Conditions Get Worse

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Dale Brown of Sejah Farms on St. Croix buys about 8,000 gallons of water every week. He's not alone. According to Commissioner Positive Nelson of the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, farmers in St. Croix purchased more than 952,353 gallons of water in the month of April.

That's because, despite the recent few days of rain, the Virgin Islands are still in a drought and dry conditions are expected to last for at least another month. The US Drought Monitor (USDM) map details severe and extreme drought levels nationally. Currently, the U.S. Drought Monitor has indicated that the drought level for St. Thomas and St. John is at D2, which means it’s a severe drought. USDM members are working to closely monitor conditions in St Croix to see if they will qualify in the coming weeks.

In response, the UVI Caribbean Green Technology Center (CGTC) and the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture (VIDA) are asking farmers to start reducing water use and to start conserving water.

The lack of water is already being felt acutely by farmers and it will probably get worse. Commissioner Nelson warned on Thursday that farmers are about to face a long hot summer. He encouraged farmers to consider all types of water conservation methods, starting with checking and maintaining irrigation lines for leaks.

“During this time of drought across the USVI, farmers and residents should implement best practices for water conservation as a precaution,” Commissioner Nelson said. “We don’t know the length of the drought, but what we do know is it is hotter, and the drought is starting earlier and lasting longer. Employing conservation methods sooner will help farmers and residents alike better manage their water resources and help to save money.”

Most farms already implement some level of water conservation. Mr. Brown said that he has been monitoring conditions and employing methods to help keep costs down. “We’re even looking into catchment containers to collect water from farm rooftops so we can reuse that water as well, along with using wells, irrigation and working to develop both long- and short-term plans to address drought on our farm,” he said.

UVI Caribbean Green Technology Center staff recently launched a Drought newsletter focused on agriculture in the community. CGTC staff will also be creating a Water Resource Guide “Go with Flow,” which will focus on strategies for water conservation that are specific to living in the Caribbean.

Here are several conservation tips for large-scal and small-scale farmers:

· Water earlier and later in the day
· Avoid watering when it is windy.
· Add organic matter to your crops.
· Plant ground cover plants or place hay or dry grass on soil to reduce evaporation and retain moisture.
· Use soil moisture sensors.
· Check irrigation lines for leaks.
· Use recycling methods for water run-off.

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