Kwara State, World Bank collaborate on irrigation farming to combat food scarcity

NIGERIA – The Kwara State Government is teaming up with the World Bank to launch an irrigation farming project aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and tackling rising food prices.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Razaq Jida, expressed optimism about the upcoming irrigation project during a Stakeholders Engagement meeting in Ilorin.

The project, part of the World Bank’s Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Projects (SPIN), is expected to significantly improve the state’s agricultural output and raise residents’ living standards.

“The project will not only boost our agricultural productivity but also improve the living conditions of our people if sited here in Kwara,” Jida stated.

At the meeting, held at Peace Hotel Conference Hall, Tanke, discussions focused on how the project could enhance food security in Kwara and Nigeria as a whole.

Usman Lade, the State Commissioner for Water Resources, highlighted Kwara’s readiness for the project, noting the state’s ample dams and resources that meet the World Bank’s requirements.

“We have enough dams in Kwara that can support this initiative, which will have a broad impact, not just within our state but across the entire country,” Lade emphasized.

The World Bank, represented by Bello Garba from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Abuja, outlined the specific criteria required for the project’s establishment.

These include existing dams, counterpart funding, 500 hectares of land, and thorough records of water user associations.

“The World Bank adheres strictly to these criteria to ensure the project’s success,” Garba explained.

Following the discussions, representatives from state and federal ministries, the World Bank, and the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority conducted site visits to the Malete, Omu-Aran, and Duku Lade water dams.

They expressed confidence that these sites have the necessary infrastructure, including existing canals and channels, to support year-round irrigation farming.

The importance of this project becomes even more evident when considering Nigeria’s current challenges with food prices, particularly the steep rise in tomato costs.

Drought, one of the key factors contributing to this surge, has caused tomato prices to increase by over 100 percent year-to-date.

As a result, many Nigerian households are struggling to afford fresh tomatoes, turning instead to alternatives like tomato paste.

With inflation pressures exacerbating the situation, the need for effective irrigation farming has never been more urgent. The Kwara irrigation project aims to prevent such crises in the future by ensuring consistent water supply and boosting agricultural productivity.

“The rise in tomato prices shows the critical need for sustainable farming practices,” said Adeniyi Aremu, Managing Director of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority. “This project is a step in the right direction to safeguard our food security.”

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