The Honourable Minister for Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Husseini Adamu FNSE ; FAEng today 26th April, 2023, commissioned the Gari Irrigation Project in a boundary between Kano and Jigawa States.
While conducting the exercise at Kazaure in Roni Local Government Area of Jigawa state, the Honourable Minister stated that the commissioning was a significant milestone achievement in the Federal Government's concerted effort at enhancing food production through irrigated agricultural farming to feed the ever increasing population of the country.
The Minister in his keynote address explained that the Gari Irrigation Project had long been abandoned by past administrations until he assumed office in 2015 with the resolve to complete viable and abandoned projects in line with the thrust of the Muhammadu Buhari Administration.
According to the Minister, the project covers an area of about 2,114 hectares consisting of a cross dam situated at the confluence of Gari and Marke rivers, a main canal traversing the entire length of the project, a number of major drains and field access road consisting eight (8) separate sectors of Irrigation farmlands.
He added that, the infrastructure falls within five Local Government Areas of Kazaure and Roni in Jigawa State and Kunchi, Dambatta and Makoda in Kano State.
He further stated that, to ease the burden of farmers for an all year round crop production, 1,930 hectares of land was developed to complete the works on ground which includes 43.9km of distributary canals,154.68km of Field Canals,41.65km of Service Roads, 165.79km of Field Tracks ,Six(6) Night Storage Reservoirs, Three (3) bridges constructed across the Main Canal, Cross Dam and Associated Structures, Excavation and de-silting of Main Drains.
Earlier in a brief interview with Press &PR unit officers, the Director Irrigation & Drainage Department, Engr (Mrs ) Esther O Oluniyi FNSE, FNIWE informed that agriculture is the backbone of developing and emerging countries and therefore access to reliable and affordable Irrigation water for agriculture is a crucial factor for the economic development of the nation. Speaking further she stressed, "in order to meet the ever increasing demands for food in country ,it was pertinent to look for the most reliable means in the absence electricity and diesel driven pumps which is way too expensive for most farmers".
Engr Oluniyi, noted that the project is a major milestone as farmers can now reliably farm and harvest all year round.
She commended the Federal Government and the Minister for their commitment and support towards the completion of the project.
Engr Oluniyi, further appealed to the Private Sector and International Agencies to invest in developing the sector and equally urged the beneficiaries to work hard to sustain the project for the good of the country towards achieving food sufficiency and security.
In a related development, the Hon Minister also commissioned a Seed Processing Plant at Kodowa Farm Centre in Kano State. This project is supervised by the Hadejia Jamaare River Basin Development Authority. It is expected that this project will enhance output of farmers as they will be provided with improved seeds for cultivation
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