Sokoto government said it is partnering with the Federal Government and
the World Bank to develop large scale irrigation scheme in the state.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who stated this during a visit by a team
from the partner agencies to Sokoto Government House, said the scheme,
tagged Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMM), will support
and improve agricultural productivity through strengthened institutional
arrangement and improved access to irrigation drainage services.
He said the scheme will also complement existing major agricultural
initiatives and focuses on improving large-scale public irrigation in
Sokoto and some selected states in the North.
“We have so far committed a total of N4.9b for the reclamation of farms in
the Kware Irrigation Scheme. Our government will commit about N460m while
our partners will provide the rest. The Kware irrigation scheme, which
will complement TRIMM, involves construction of 175 irrigation water
conveyance canals, 120 units of haudraulic structures, 55 kilometres of
feeder roads, five units of primary schools, two primary healthcare
centres and two comminuty markets.
“The target is to enhance agricultural growth and production, provide job
opportunities, tackle poverty among the populace and also help in
developing rice value chain by boosting local rice milling in our state,”
Tambuwal revealed.
In his remarks, TRIMM’s Project Coordinator, Engr Peter Manjok said given
the global growing competitiveness in irrigated agricultural production, a
window of opportunity was opened to help raise income and reduce poverty
in the country.
According to him, the scheme, which will run for seven years, will involve
the transfer of tertiary irrigation and drainage facilities to registered
operators and Water User Association (WUAs) in affected areas.