February 13, 2024
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has rolled out strategic plans to tackle the rising cost of food in the country.
Permanent Secretary of FMWRS, Shehu Aliyu in his address at the 30th meeting of the National Technical Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation, (NTCWRS) expressed concerns over issues bedevilling water resources and food security.
Shehu recalled that the Federal Government recently declared a State of Emergency on Food Security to tackle food inflation in line with the Renewed Hope of the present administration.
The Perm Sec stated that all matters relating to food and water availability and affordability as essential livelihood items, be included within the purview of the National Security Council.
According to him: “There is need for an urgent synergy between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to ensure adequate irrigation of farmland and to guarantee that food is produced all year round.
“Engage our security architecture to protect the farms and the farmers so that farmers can return to the farmlands without fear of being attacked.
“The twelve (12) River Basin Development Authority (RBDAs) ensure the planting of crops during the dry season with irrigation schemes that will guarantee continuous farming production all year to stem the seasonal glut and scarcity.
“The need to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmland nationwide to grow maize, rice, wheat and other staple crops.”
He informed the Ministry has introduced the three flagship programmes namely: Water for Expanded Irrigation Agriculture Programme (WEIRPRO), Partnership for Expanded Irrigation Programme (PEIRPRO) and River Basin Strategy for Poverty Alleviation. (RS-SPA).
Shehu explained that the above-named programmes have kick-started with the launch of the dry season farming covering a total of 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State in November 2023 by the Federal Government in collaboration with Jigawa State under the National Wheat Development Programme.
He expressed confidence the expected outcome from the various interventions is to create 5 to 10 million jobs for our teeming youths within the agricultural value chain.
