Jigawa state Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar has predicted that the ongoing rehabilitation and expansion of 6,000.00 Hadejia Valley Irrigation Project undertaken by the federal government and funded by the World Bank will produce over 150,000.00 tons of rice.
He also predicted that the state will earn over #30billion.
The governor made the assertion Saturday on the occasion of handing over the 3,000.00 hectares of lands at Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme and Dam Safety Remedial Works at Yamidi, Auyo local government area of the state.
He stated that if the scheme was completed along with the 2000
hectares Kaazaure Irrigation Project, the state can produce a total of 150,000.00 tons of rice and it will enrich the economy of the state with the whopping sum of #30 billion annually.
He said initially, the size of the project was 25,000.00.
hectares of irrigable land which was started by the Civilian administration of President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagri, and abandoned for 40 years. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari has however revived the project and awarded contract in collaboration with TRIMING project funded by the World Bank for the Rehabilitation and expansion of 6,000.00 hectares of land.
Governor Abubakar stated that the main advantage of irrigation scheme is that crops such as rice, wheat, maize, pepper, tomato onion, among others can grow three seasons in a year, adding that the state has comparative advantage.
He stated that farmers and users who were along the riverside area of Hadejia River, spend much money on processing, production cost, fueling of generators to water their crops, but with completion of the project, they can save N1.2billion annually.
”We prayed to God to show us when the the proposed 25,000.00 of irrigable land which pass through up to Yobe state will boost Jigawa economy and provide millions of jobs to our teeming youth,” he said.
