By Our Correspondent
HOTPEN – The Federal Government has handed over the 228 hectares Gari Irrigation Project to farmers in Jigawa and Kano States.
This is contained in a statement by Mrs Oyeronke Oluniyi, the Director, Irrigation and Drainage, Ministry of Water Resources and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
“The handover was done by Mrs Oyeronke Oluniyi, the Director, Irrigation and Drainage, Ministry of Water Resources, on behalf of the Minister, Mr Suleiman Adamu.
“Five Local Government Areas (LGAs) comprising Kazaure and Roni in Jigawa and Kunchi, Dambata and Makoda in Kano State, under the Hadeija Jama’are River Basin Development Authority are benefiting,” Oluniyi said.
She said the project was part of government’s food security and job creation efforts.
Oluniyi said that the irrigation project, delivered to the farmers in parts was in its sixth phase, following government’s decision to complete all projects for maximum benefits.
She said the ministry, through its mandate in irrigated agriculture had aligned with the present administration’s vision to diversify the nation’s economy and lift as many people out of poverty before 2030.
She said the ministry had engaged the services of an Interface Consultant to establish and strengthen Water Users Associations (WUAs), for effective operation and maintenance of the irrigation system.
According to her, farmers’ associations and the River Basin Development Authority are being trained on effective irrigation systems, and modern agricultural best practices.
“The concept of the interface consultancy is to promote Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) by empowering the farmer’s community around the project.
“It is also for the farmers to assume responsibility for ownership of the irrigation and drainage systems around their farm plots, including financial and administrative accountability among others,’’ she said.
Oluniyi lauded the contribution of Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority toward the achieving the management transfer process from Government-controlled to farmer-managed.
The director however, urged the RBDAs to ensure that farmers and their associations took their new responsibilities with steady grip, by ensuring that canals, drains, roads and culverts work effectively.
Highpoint of the event was the handing over and the signing of relevant documents for the project transfer. (NAN)