Stable Food Production: Agriculturist Harps On Irrigation

An agriculturist, Mr
Louis Ahagbuje has urged the Federal Government to explore its vast water potential for irrigation, to ensure food security and steady food.
Ahagbuje, a consultant in agricultural extention services who made this known in a chat with The Tide in Port Harcourt, said that irrigation was a key element influencing agriculture in any country.
He said that irrigational operations would not be sustainable in the country without a viable policy in place.
“The country’s substantial potential for irrigated agriculture using the existing network of over 200 dams in addition to vast rivers and lakes in Nigeria, present a huge opportunity to boost agricultural production”, he said.
The agricultural expert said, “This is a major justification for irrigation and water resources management in Nigeria and I am advocating for practitioners and authorities to increase and sustain their investment in irrigation”.
According to him, the irrigation policy is critical to the achieving of the goals of Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 as well as the goal of the Transformation Agenda.
He said, “we are encouraged by the continuing efforts and advocacy of the Federal Government for agricultural and irrigation development, but a legal framework would play the rightful role in reducing rain fed agricultural system”.
Ahabuje, however, urged other government agencies and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to seek the cooperation of some international agencies like the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in fine tuning the irrigation policy for sustainable food production.

Corlins Walter