Nigeria’s Jigawa agriculture steps up on N5bn infrastructural support

The Federal Government of Nigeria has expended over N5 billion on infrastructural supports to ease the practice of agriculture in Jigawa state.

The projects executed under the Agricultural Transformation Support Programme (ATSP) include rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation schemes, road construction and provision of additional social infrastructures.

Auwalu Ado, the ATSP Coordinator for Kano/Jigawa said that the projects were driven by government’s commitment to transform the agricultural sector.

Ado who spoke during the inspection of some of the projects in Auyo and Gwaram local government areas said the projects also include construction of 44 kilometer feeder roads cutting across the benefiting areas.

The key projects, he noted were the development and rehabilitation of irrigation system expected to gulp 70 percent of the total cost.

“What we intend to do to transform agriculture, particularly in Jigawa, is that we are saddled with the construction of four primary schools, two community markets, and two health facilities. Others are the provision of four motorized boreholes and overhead tanks, five hand pumps, toilets and incinerators in the five participating local government areas,” he said.

The selected schemes for development and rehabilitation include Kalgwai irrigation scheme, Agufa irrigation scheme, and Sakawa irrigation scheme.

Noting the design of the projects and bidding processes have been completed, he said the programme was awaiting the approval of the African Development Bank (AfDB) to commence procurement process.

Samuel Eremie, ATSP team leader on midterm review said the project is jointly funded by AfDB, the federal government, and seven participating states.