FG Assures of Commitment to Massive Investment in Irrigation – Minister

The Federal Government has expressed its commitment to massively invest in irrigation in order to diversify the nation’s economy.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, disclosed this in Ibadan at the ministry’s South-West regional workshop on the establishment/strengthening of water users’ associations for the management of public irrigation schemes.

Adamu,said the government’s plan to diversify the economy and its determination to be self-sufficient in food production informed the ministry’s decision to shift its focus from rain-fed agriculture to irrigated agriculture.

The minister explained that the Water Bill, being presented by the Federal Government, was put together to address various issues in the water sector.

Adamu said, “Permit me to reiterate the strong commitment of the Federal Government to massively invest in irrigation sub-sector to make Nigeria food and water secure by moving from drought-prone, rain-fed agriculture to irrigated agriculture for self-sufficiency.

“This workshop is the third in the series of Workshops planned to establish or strengthen (where it exists) water users of public irrigation schemes for effective and efficient management of the schemes.”