Our irrigation efforts are increasing food production says Ochekpe, Water Resources Minister.

[FMINigeria]

                        The minister of water resources Sarah Reng Ochekpe has disclosed that her Ministry has recorded substantial achievements in the development of irrigation infrastructure thus, increasing the nation's capacity for food production.

She stated this during the Mid-term report on the progress and achievement of President Goodluck Jonathan administration in the on-going ministerial platform while presenting her Ministry's score card for the past two years.

Development of irrigation infrastructure, land reclamation and drainages, she stated are part of the achievements of her Ministry during the period under review.  Her words, "Substantial achievements were recorded in the development of irrigation infrastructure, land reclamation and drainage nationwide, which include increase in the size of irrigated land by over 31,000 hectares, the commencement of eight pilot lands drainage/reclamation projects of about 420 hectares in the Niger Delta areas and job creation for about 75,000 farming families."

Some Agric Product on Exhibition by Ministry of Water Resources during Ministerial Platform 2013 Ochekpe also added that it is obvious that Nigeria cannot continue to depend on rain–fed agriculture alone considering the rate of its population growth, urbanization and climate changes.

Irrigation is therefore, critical to the nation's food production, agro-industrial raw material, employment generation and poverty alleviation which enhance food security, she stated.

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Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria