x

Kano rice farmers want irrigation scheme rehabilitated

Some farmers in Bagwai Local Government Area, Kano State have called on the state government to rehabilitate the Watari Irrigation dam to enable them cultivate their farmlands during the dry season.

A cross section of the farmers made the call in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday at Sector 1, Water Irrigation Project in Bagwai.

Alhaji Danladi Yahaya, Chairman, Farmers Association in Bagwai, also called for the construction of access road to ease movement of their farm produce to the market.

“Apart from water scarcity, lack of access road is also affecting our activities.

“We call on the relevant authorities to rehabilitate the reservoir and canals as well as construct access road in the area,” Yahaya said.

Malam Salisu Dandawaki, a farmer said the call was imperative to ensure that the reservoir and canals under the irrigation scheme were rehabilitated to supply water to the farmlands.

Dandawaki said that farmers in the area had relied on rain water to cultivate their farmlands, which limited their activities to rainy season.

He said that water should be released from the Bagwai dam to feed the reservoir and supply the farmlands under Sector-1 of the Watari Irrigation scheme.

“Farmers relied on rain-fed agriculture, water should be released from the dam to enable us cultivate our farmlands during the dry season.

“Rehabilitation of the reservoir and canals will facilitate supply of water to the farms for dry season activities,” he said.

Mr Nasiru Sabiu, another farmer, said that the lack of water supply from the reservoir was discouraging as small holder farmers were forced to abandon their farms during the dry season.

Sabiu said absence of tube wells was making it difficult for them to cultivate their farmlands during dry season.

Also commenting, Mr Bashir Rabiu-Kwa, the Project Manager, Watari Irrigation scheme, said the release of water to the plantation was stopped to pave way for the maintenance work.

He said that the project was designed to open up 1,562 hectares of irrigable lands, adding that 962 hectares had been developed and cultivated by farmers.

Rabiu-Kwa explained that of the 962 developed hectares; 162 were under Sector-1, 168 under Sector-2, 217 under Sector-3, 72 under Sector-4 and 273 under Sector-5.

The manager said work on the development of the remaining 600 hectares of land was currently ongoing under sector-6 and sector-7 of the project.

Hot this week

Editors Urge Government To Create Safe, Enabling Environment For Journalists

· Ask security agents to find missing Vanguard journalist As...

EXCLUSIVE: Buhari orders probe of Isa Funtua, AMCON over keystone and Etisalat

Following the controversy generated by the leading opposition party,...

6 Signs your boyfriend thinks you are ugly -Take note of No. 2

They say there are three kinds of people; the...

2023: South-East, Middle Belt Forum Endorses Peter Obi

The South-East and Middle Belt Forum has endorsed the...

2025 Ballon d’Or: 3 PSG Stars Emerge as Top Contenders Ahead of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha

Paris Saint-Germain’s historic UEFA Champions League triumph has positioned...

Daniel Etim-Effiong Shares How Rejection Led Him to Marry His Wife, Toyosi

Nollywood actor Daniel Etim-Effiong has revealed that he married...

UNODC: Boko Haram Recruited 1,385 Children Between 2017 and 2019

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)...

Eid-el-Kabir: FG Declares Friday, Monday Public Holidays

The Federal Government has declared Friday, June 6, and...

JUNE 12 NASS JOINT SESSION WITH MR. PRESIDENT: AN AGENDA

BY PATRICK WEMAMBU Nigeria's 10th National Assembly comprising the Senate...

Top 10 Best-Performing Nigerian Stocks in May 2025

The Nigerian stock market saw a strong bullish run...

Ododo Tasks Officials on Grassroots Engagement, Local Patronage as Kogi Clears N98.8bn Debt

Noah Ocheni The Kogi State Executive Council has reaffirmed its...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img