Hugh Martin EVERY YEAR, as summer approaches we become very conscious of the weather. It is first of all the drought then the anticipation of the May rains which sometimes come and sometimes don't. And then it is the hurricane season. It is a kind of collective fear and, as well, a fascination, for there are always some who have never experienced the awesome raw power of the hurricane phenomenon.
There was a time when we could predict, with a fair amount of certainty, the way the rains would come and farmers could time their crops accordingly. Not so anymore. Over the past couple of decades we have witnessed major fluctuations in the weather patterns resulting in droughts in the traditional rainy months of May and October and floods in December and January. We have come to accept it as one of the effects of "global warming" the outcome of man's abuse of the environment. The recognition of this phenomenon and the identification of some of the causes have, thankfully, come not too late for us to repair or at least to slow the pace of the damage. The problem is to get those involved in the lucrative enterprises that contribute to the condition to desist from those endeavours.
Unfortunately, the seductive power of acquiring instant wealth is far too strong to yield to the illusory, intangible notion of long-term sustainable development. At least, not until some unpleasant reality is brought forcibly to bear on those very sources of fortune. Like, for instance, the situation with hurricane activity in the Caribbean region in recent years and the threat it carries to some operations. It is increasingly obvious that hurricanes have become more frequent, begin much earlier, and that the season lasts much longer. In addition the intensity has grown greater and greater. We felt the power of Gilbert in 1988 and have, thankfully been spared from even more powerful ones since, sometimes in the nick of time.
We are told that this season, declared open at the beginning of the month, will be one of the most active ever. The farming community, more than any other, will be extremely apprehensive as it is the most susceptible to wind and rain. What makes it doubly unfortunate for the farming sector is the fact that this high-risk situation renders it virtually uninsurable. Except for bananas and coconuts there is very little crop insurance available to farming operations and where it exists the cost is so horrendously high that few bother to access it. It is left therefore, after each disaster from hurricane, flood or drought, to the Government to provide some assistance. This is usually slow in coming, small in amount and therefore simply inadequate to reach all affected.
We can do nothing to stop hurricanes from forming or from rolling over us. There are those of course who believe in the power of prayer and will assure you that we have been spared many a hit because of their supplication. Too bad though that Cuba and the other Caribbean sisters that took the blows intended for us were not included in the prayers. Still, while we cannot stop the hurricanes we can prepare for them and so minimise the level of devastation they usually leave in their wake. Much of the flooding that occurs on some farms could have been averted had there been a proper drainage system or had the drains and nearby gullies been kept clear of debris.
The office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has over the years provided us with hints on what to do and measures to adopt in the event of an imminent hurricane or other disaster. Because a lot of accidents often occur after the event it also provides hints on actions to take in the aftermath to prevent such accidents. Unfortunately, it seems as if these are never heeded and we have the same thing repeated year after year. It is not uncommon to see farmers returning to plant crops on riverbanks after their previous crops were washed away the season before. It seems to me that people do not take seriously those disaster preparedness hints that are published and broadcast for their benefit and therefore they continue to suffer the consequences.
The hints and guidelines find application in all areas of life but on the farm there are additional ones that need to be observed; such as the safeguarding of poisonous chemicals like pesticides which if left carelessly can be a source of contamination of food, water and animal feeds. Farm animals are often the farmer's major investments and are particularly susceptible to hurricanes. As such, livestock farmers should remember to put in place the recommended measures that will allow them peaceful sleep during this hurricane season.
Hugh Martin is a communication specialist and farm broadcaster. E-mail: humar@cwjamaica.com
