Olumide Lawal
The Federal Government has said arrangement has been concluded to construct no fewer than 10 lakes and dams each states of the federation to boost irrigation farming in 2017.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, disclosed the plan on Thursday in Abuja while highlighting some of proposed 2017 plans to boost agricultural production in the country.
He noted that Oyo State had no fewer than 22 un-utilised dams, Ogun -12, Kano- 23 dams while Imo had many moribund lakes and dams, which would be cleaned up and utilised in 2017.
The minister said that Goronyo, Bakalori, Shagari dams, which had been abandoned would be cleaned up and used for irrigation farming.
Ogbeh added that government would also distribute fertilisers and chemicals to farmers for dry season farming, saying it was expecting delivery of large tonnes of fertilisers within next few weeks.
He listed some other agricultural activities to be embarked on within the year to include improvement of cattle breeds, establishment of cattle colonies in states to confine cows in a place.
Others, according to the minister are procurement of more rice mills for distribution to communities, vegetable oil mills, tractors and improved seeds.
Ogbeh said that cashew processing factories would also be established in the country to facilitate exportation of cashew to other countries.
He explained that implementation of the plans which had been included in the 2017 budget would commence as soon as monies were released.
“This year, we will work on dams, we are also going to start improving the breed of cows to improve the quality of meat, milk and cut down grazing and conflicts between herdsmen and farmers.
“We are looking at building cattle colonies in the states that are willing to give us land to confine cows in one place.
“We will also priotise processing of cassava leaves, maize tusk, groundnut shells for feeding cows and slowly persuade the Fulani herdsmen to stop roaming their cows,’’ the minister said.
