By John Oba Abuja Th e federal government has classifi ed Zauro Polder Irrigation Project in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state has a top priority projects that deserves urgent attention in order to support the government’s food security policy.
Th e Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu, stated this recently while on an inspection and assessment site visit to the project in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state. Adamu in a statement said the visit was to appreciate the level of work done and to look at other factors militating against the completion of the project that was started ten years. Zauro Polder Irrigation Project is jointly funded by the federal and the Kebbi state governments on a 70% and 30% bases respectively.
Th e Project is located within the Fadama area of the Rima River, stretching from Birnin Kebbi to Argungu in Kebbi state. At full development, it is estimated to produce about 42,000 tons of rice, 4,800 tons of maize, 2,200 tons of cowpea, 800 tons of wheat and 33 tons of vegetable. More signifi cantly, the project development will result in fl ood control which regularly devastates farmland in the area causing hardship to the host communities. According to the Minister, the project has the potentials to substantially increase food production and create jobs in Nigeria. “Th e pilot project we are visiting today is 100 hectares.
Th e total project scope which has been stalled for years and which we are looking forward to resuscitating and completing is 10,000 hectares”, he said.