The Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) programme, a Word Bank assisted-project, has purchased solar powered water pumping machines worth N33 million for distribution to farmers in Kano state.
The project’s Technical Officer, Malam Nasidi Datti, made the disclosure in Chidari town in Makoda local government area of the state while test-running some of the machines before its eventual distribution to the beneficiaries.
Datti said a total of 100 units of the machines would be distributed to 400 irrigation farmers in Kano state.
According to him, four farmers would be given one set of the machines for watering of their crops.
The technical officer said the type of water pumping machine has so many advantages over the normal one.
“This one doesn’t require fuel, it only needs sunlight to operate and it is environment friendly; which doesn’t pollute the farm and aquatic lives,” he said.
Datti added that the machine has the capacity to pump at least 24,000 liters of water in one hour.
He said the machines would be distributed to the beneficiaries free of charge to encourage them boost agricultural productivity in the state.
CARES-project is aimed at expanding access to livelihood support and food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households and firms.
