Agriculture Minister Ángel Estévez says the government has made available RD$2.5 billion to help farmers recover from their crop losses in the Northwest. Farms along several rivers were damaged due to the flooding when the government ordered the release of water in dams in the highlands to avoid the failure of these dams.
Estévez said that RD$1.33 billion would be used to rehabilitate primarily the banana farms in the area. The funds are available through the Banco Agrícola.
Some RD$124 million has been set aside to improve rural roads that were damaged. Estévez also said the Ministry is working on rehabilitation of 155 kms of rural roads in Montecristi that were damaged by the flooding. Drainage structures will be built to prevent future road damage. He also highlighted that the INDRHI is working on the installation of breakwaters in the Yaque River basin to avoid future damage.
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Diario Libre
27 January 2017
