FG Establishes 3000 Hectare Irrigation Farm in Benue

–         Plans to boost irrigation farming in Nigeria

George Okoh in Makurdi 

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, on Sunday said the Makurdi irrigation farm project and Ugondo Community access road is an intervention by the President Ahmed Tinubu government to boost agricultural production in the country.

Ustev said this after inspecting the 3000-hectare farm at Mbakuv, in Makurdi Local Government Are of the State.

He said the farm has over 3000 hectares irrigable land and explained that out of the 3000 hectares, 1200 hectares would be used for the irrigation farming while the remaining 1800 hectares would be used for the upcoming Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project. 

He explained that 400 hectares were already cleared and was in use, adding that contract was awarded for the study and design of the 600 hectares which was at advance stage. 

The minister also said that for the expansion of the existing irrigation farm to take off effectively, contract was also awarded for the construction of water channels in the farm.

His words: “We have given a contract for construction of irrigation channels. We also gave a contract for drip irrigation and contract for the study and design for the expansion of the existing irrigation farm.

“The contractor handling the construction of the channels is doing very well. In fact, the construction of the channel is almost 90%, completed while the drip irrigation is about 67% completed.

 “You can see crops that have been cultivated are doing well. We have garden eggs, maize and pepper etc. So, this is what we are doing in a different part of Nigeria.”

The minister also disclosed that the Otukpo Multipurpose Dam which was about 50 per cent completed was included in the 2025 budget and would be completed. 

He said the ministry was also thinking of generating power at the dam to improve power supply in the country.

At the commissioning of the 1.5-kilometer Ugondo Community access road, Utsev said the road would enable the community convey their agricultural produce to the town.