Kwara State is set to collaborate with the World Bank on a significant irrigation farming project aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and enhancing food security in the region. This commitment was reaffirmed by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq during a Stakeholders Engagement meeting on Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Projects (SPIN), held at the Peace Hotel Conference Hall in Ilorin.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Hon. Razaq Jida, the Governor highlighted the strategic importance of the state’s regions: Kwara North as the state’s food basket, Kwara Central as its economic hub, and Kwara South as an agricultural stronghold. He emphasized that the proposed project would greatly improve the living standards of the state’s residents.
State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Yunusa Lade, welcomed the initiative, noting that it would significantly uplift the economic status of the people. He assured stakeholders that Kwara State has sufficient dams to meet the World Bank’s criteria for project implementation across the state.
Dr. Adeniyi Aremu, Managing Director of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority in Ilorin, expressed confidence in the collaboration, noting that his agency has successfully partnered with the World Bank on numerous projects in the past. He pledged the agency’s commitment to the success of this project.
Engr. Bello Garba, representing the World Bank from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, outlined the key requirements for the project’s establishment, including the availability of an existing dam, counterpart funding, 500 hectares of land, a proper water users association, and comprehensive study and design plans. He stressed that the World Bank adheres strictly to these criteria.
Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Christiana Asonibare, assured participants of the state government’s commitment to ensuring the project’s success. She thanked the stakeholders, particularly Governor AbdulRazaq, for their support and contributions.
Following the meeting, officials from the State and Federal Ministries of Water Resources, the World Bank, and the Lower Niger River Basin Authority conducted on-site assessments at Malete, Omu-Aran, and Duku Lade Water Dams. They expressed satisfaction with the dams’ potential for year-round irrigation farming, noting that some already have the necessary infrastructure in place.
During a visit to the Palace of Ndalile Lade, the community head, Alhaji Haruna Abubakar, expressed gratitude to Governor AbdulRazaq for his continuous support and the appointment of a local representative in his administration.
