By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Federal Government, through Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) Project has done tremendously well in Kano River Irrigation Scheme (KIRS).
A cross section of stakeholders informed newsmen that they are pleased with the transformation being witnessed.
The TRIMING project is an intervention programme which complements the World Bank’s support and focuses on improving large-scale public irrigation in northern Nigeria towards agricultural production, growth and reducing rural poverty.
Our reporter, reports that the project, was signed on July 6, 2018 between the Federal Government and SINOHYDRO Corporation Limited at the sum of N18,727,631,007 and on December 23, 2020 with Addendum No.1 Contract.
Mr. Jesse, is the Commercial Manager of SINOHYDRO Corporation Ltd, said SINOHYDRO is currently working on 4133 hectares of Irrigation land which by the end of June 2022 the major works will be aimed to substantially complete to meet the irrigation purpose.
Mr. Jesse, explained that 9,746 hectares of Irrigation land were rehabilitated, adding that the Challawa Dam and 24 Kms of concrete lining of EBC have been completed while the Tiga and Ruwan Kanya Dam will be aimed to complete this month. He said the end of March this year is the date of completing the Dam works but SINOHYDRO is endeavouring his best to beat the stipulated deadline for such dam works.
According to him, Irrigation farming is the most efficient job to boost food production for achievement of food security in the country and generation of employment opportunities to people.
Investigations by our reporter revealed that up to now, the federal government had handed over completed irrigation sectors with a total of 9,746 hectares.
In an interview with a team of journalists, the farmers in Kura, Bunkure and Garun Malam local government area of Kano State, have been commended the federal government and the contractor handling the expansion of kana Irrigation Scheme SINOHYDRO Corporation Limited for doing a standard and quality projects.
Malam Nura Isa, a farmer in the area said “before the rehabilitation of dam, thousands of farmers on the Kano River Irrigation are suffering with scars of water flow, we have to irrigate our farm in the night “
“Now farmers have to come to irrigate our farm land in the morning after they had a breakfast but before the farmers had to sneak in the night and if he comes with motorbike he should switched it off and hide it in the bush so that his neighbor couldn’t know he is there if not his counterparts would go beyond his point and divert the water. Now all these difficulties were gone” he said.
He added that “the farmers have been putting use the irrigation canals with flows to it”
Alhaji Shu’aibu, an irrigation farmer, said “activities here were bad before because there were places that became difficult to farmers but now that SINOHYDRO start the project we the farmers were excited.
“Some of the rehabilitation areas were handed over to us, some are on the process. We are really feeling happy and the works done are very good improving farming yield” he added.
He commended the contractor handling the expansion project for doing a quality and standard work and federal government for awarding the project which is commendable by farmers in kano state.
