FG Hands Over Trimming Project to Irrigation Farmers in Jigawa
Aliyu M Dangida
The Federal Government through the ministry of water resources Triming Project has finally handed over the N14bn rehabilitated Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme to irrigation farmers.
Speaking at the handing ceremony via zoom held in Auyo, the Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Suleiman Adamu said the rehabilitated valley irrigation scheme of 1,500 hectares was among the five irrigation schemes that were rehabilitated in the country under the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) Project supported by the World Bank.
The Minister said the contract which was awarded in July 2018, with a completion period of 36 months, has 100% tertiary irrigation canals that will enable farmers control the water needs to irrigate their farm-lands.
Engineer Suleiman Adamu said in line with the policy of TRIMING Project, the Water Users Association of the scheme have been trained on the proper use and maintenance of the scheme as well as financial and administrative control as they assumed ownership of the entire project.
In his welcome address the Managing Director Hadejia Jamaare River Basin Development Authority, Engineer Maamu Dau Aliyu said statistics had indicated that irrigation farming which controlled only 20% of cultivated land globally supplied about 40% of the Worlds food needs.
In his remarks, the Triming Project Manager, Engineer Peter Yakubu said in the last five years of the execution of the irrigation scheme, the Emir of Hadejia, Dr. Adamu Abubakar Maje and the local community have immensely contributed towards the peaceful and smooth final completion of the project and its subsequent hand over to the farmers to assume ownership.
