Monday, June 08, 2009

Boosting irrigation in Nigeria

Irrigation for agriculture will receive a boost in Nigeria thanks to more government funding. A politician of Nigeria made the announcement of the new funding during the weekend.

From the Vanguard, we read more details of the irrigation projects going on for the Hadejia-jama'are River Basin.

Managing Director, Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Authority (HJRBDA), Alhaji Sanusi Abdullahi, said yesterday that N4.35 billion had been made available to the authority to boost food security.

Abdullahi who made this known in Abuja said the basin had three major projects to boost food supply.

“We have Kano River Irrigation project which has a near completion aspect of about 7,500 hectares gross and we have another project at Hadejia valley.

“And we have another one which is Kano State project, but is being supported by the Federal Government. We call it Bagwi Irrigation project and Watari Dam with about 800 hectares.

“We hope to complete the projects by the end of next year because we have to stop construction during the rainy season and resume work during the dry season,” he added.

He noted that the current economic recession had also affected the progress of some of the activities of the basin, adding that adequate funding would guarantee the acquisition of the potential of the basin.

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