The Federal Government on Thursday said it had earmarked 500,000 hectares of land for irrigation farming as part of effort to boost food security and job opportunities for women and youths in Nigeria.
The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The minister said that already, 190,000 hectares had been put under cultivation by thousands of small and medium irrigation farmers across the country.
Ochekpe said 10 per cent or 3.2 billion cubic metres of the country’s reserved water had been earmarked for irrigation purpose to help achieve the goal of attaining hunger-free country.
According to her, the 3.2 billion cubic metres is being earmarked from the 32 billion cubic metres of water reserved in some 200 dams spread in different parts of the country.
She said the Federal Government had earmarked adequate funds for the construction of additional small and medium dams for irrigation activities across the country.
The minister said the additional dams, when completed, would provide dry season farmers the opportunity to increase their income and better livelihood.
She called for more investment in the aqua culture sector to grow Nigeria’s fishery production and business.
Ochekpe told NAN that most of the country’s dams were multi-purpose and designed to accommodate fishery activities and other aqua culture.
She called for more local and international investments into the fishery sector to ensure exploitation to its full capacity.
She said, “We have many registered cooperative groups already in production across the country, but we need more and even large scale fish farmers to invest in the sector.
“Many Nigerians have turned to fish menu due to its health advantage and that has expanded the market for fish in the country.” NAN
