Federal Government of Nigeria has intensified efforts to achieve its food security agenda with the rollout of a Simple Irrigation Training Programme for farmer groups nationwide.
Speaking at the Training and Demonstration of Simple Irrigation Facilities for the Dogaroda-Kai Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) Farmers’ Group in Keffi, Nasarawa State, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the initiative is designed to equip farmers with practical irrigation solutions that reduce vulnerability to erratic rainfall and boost productivity.
Represented by Mr. Ayodele Olawumi, Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services (FDAES), Kyari noted that the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises food security, farmer empowerment, and climate-smart agriculture.
Kyari explained that the agenda is anchored on the belief that Nigeria must feed itself and prosper through agriculture, placing the sector at the centre of national development. He highlighted ongoing government interventions including the distribution of improved seeds, fertilisers, and agrochemicals to farmers nationwide, strengthening of extension services and institutions to better serve farmers, and expanded partnerships with development agencies and the private sector to mobilise investments for agricultural modernisation.
The irrigation programme, championed by FDAES, will train farmers on simple irrigation techniques, crop diversification, and market-driven solutions, enabling them to improve livelihoods and contribute to national economic growth.
Kyari revealed that the SHEP project, funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and implemented since 2017, has partnered with KickStart International Limited to provide affordable irrigation solutions. He stressed that water remains the lifeblood of agriculture, adding that simple irrigation facilities will allow farmers to extend farming beyond the rainy season, diversify crops, increase yields, and improve household incomes.
He expressed the Ministry’s commitment to replicating the model across Nigeria to promote sustainable agricultural practices and ensure food sovereignty.
Commending stakeholders and partners for their contributions, Kyari urged the Dogaroda-Kai SHEP Farmers’ Group to adopt the innovative methods and cascade the knowledge gained to make Nasarawa State a hub of sustainable agricultural productivity.
In his remarks, the group’s secretary, Yusuf Mohammed, pledged that farmers would leverage the training to increase productivity and improve livelihoods.
By Ngozi Nwankwo, Abuja
