World Bank Collaborates with Yobe to Boost Agriculture

Michael Olugbode in Damaturu
The World Bank has collaborated with the Yobe State Government under the FADAMA III Project to boost agriculture in the North-east state with the construct a mini dam and feeder roads in two local governments.

The World Bank under the FADAMA III is constructing the mini earth dam and feeder roads in Nangere and Potiskum Local Government Areas to boost irrigation farming and facilitate transportation of farm produce from the rural to urban areas.

The state Project Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Garba, whole conducted journalists round the newly constructed dam at Gada village yesterday, said the project was financed by World Bank under the North-east food security and livelihood programme.

He explained that the earth dam was constructed to  harvest rain waters flowing downstream of the community for irrigation and fishing in the area
“The project has also constructed a water gate to regulate water flow to the farmlands and orchards which is opened when farmers want to water their farms and closed to preserve the water and avoid flooding.”

The coordinator said 21 households under the irrigation programme were supported  with water pumps, seeds, sprayers, fertilizer and herbicides.

“The project has also supported 16 households on livestock farming with each household provided with a set of four female goats and a male goat or, three sheep and two rams while, three households have been provided with canoes for fishing,” he said.

The coordinator said: “The programme was aimed at providing the people with sustainable means of livelihood urging the beneficiaries to take advantage of the support.”

Meanwhile, the  beneficiaries have engaged in rice, pepper, tomatoes, onion and okra cultivation.
Awwal Yahaya, a fisherman and beneficiary of the support project said: “The comstruction of the dam has increased the volume of fish and creating more fortune to fishermen.

“Initially, the fish were washed away by the floods but, the construction of the mini dam has arrested both the water and the fish,” Awwal said.
In Dagare community, 40 households have been supported with sets of small ruminants of goats or sheep and, food support including rice, maize and beans.