Kano to create 2,000 acres of farmland with 11 new dams

The Kano State Government is set to expand irrigated agriculture by 2,000 acres through the construction of 11 mini dams across the state, as part of efforts to boost food production, create jobs and tackle rural poverty.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Danjuma Mahmoud, disclosed this during a press conference, saying the projects were part of a wider agricultural transformation programme aimed at expanding cultivable land and improving farmers’ productivity.

Mahmoud said the government had already recovered over 1,200 acres of farmland through the rehabilitation of dilapidated irrigation facilities at major sites, including Jermambaka, Kadawa and Bunkure A and B.

He added that another 200 acres had been recovered through collaboration with the Federal Government and the African Development Bank-supported ATAPS project.

The commissioner said the government was also executing a major irrigation project at Donsushiya, featuring a two-kilometre dam with a capacity of three billion cubic litres of water and irrigation channels designed to serve 500 hectares of farmland.

He said the project was about 40 per cent completed, while the 14-kilometre access road constructed to facilitate the movement of heavy equipment to the site had been completed.

Mahmoud listed the 11 local government areas earmarked for the mini dams as Bebeji, Kibiya, Sumaila, Doguwa, Shanono, Dawakin Kudu, Gaya, Rogo, Dala, Dawakin Tofa and Ungogo.

He said compensation had been paid in at least six locations, while contractors had already mobilised to some sites, particularly Bebeji.

According to him, the additional irrigation facilities would reduce rural-urban migration, create employment and improve the income of farming households.

The commissioner also disclosed that the state had acquired modern agricultural equipment, including tractors, combine harvesters, threshers, solar-powered irrigation pumps, planters and transplanters, which would be distributed free to registered and credible farmers’ cooperatives.

He said the government had equally distributed about 7,800 cattle under livestock intervention programmes, while more than 13,000 beneficiaries had received various livestock support, including goats for women and rams for youths.

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