The Federal Government of Nigeria has disclosed considering drip irrigation for food production. Director, Irrigation, and Drainage, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Engr Esther Oluniyi, made the disclosure and said it has become imperative to compare the drip irrigation pilot initiative with the flood-based irrigated systems, and others.
“As food prices continue to soar, the Federal Government is making effort through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to promote food security and sustainable water management for irrigated agriculture towards producing more crops per drop of water. FAO has expressed support through Technical Cooperation Programme, TCP, to promote a 20-25 ha pilot drip irrigation system, which started with identification of suitable land/site for the project.
Comparisons
“This programme was initiated by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage as a pilot initiative to compare low energy drip based irrigated system side by side gravity canal, flood based irrigated system with the view to come up with some irrigation parameters such as; volume of water use; quantity of drops produced; cost of power, cost of labour, and others,” said the Director.
The National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Arc Kabir Ibrahim, who was represented by Deputy President, AFAN, Chief Daniel Okafor Obiora, expressed hope in drip irrigation to be a game changer in food production as farmers are ready to adopt it as rain-fed agriculture is not really meeting demand for all-year-round farming activities.
“In order to sustainably attain Food Security, we have to augment as done in countries where immense progress in food sufficiency the traditional rain-fed agriculture we generally practice today with irrigation using not only surface water but groundwater, too, has been made. Drip irrigation system for smallholder farmers will enhance their productivity by engaging in all-year-round farming activities. To complete the Agricultural Transformation we are currently embarking on in Nigeria, irrigation is key and the workshop to promote the system is germane. We look forward to the availability of this farming system to our farmers”, he said.
