Nigerian govt to create 10m jobs through dry season farming

The Federal Government has announced plans to create between five to 10 million jobs across the country through dry season farming in 2024.

The plans were disclosed on Monday by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Shehu Aliyu, while delivering a speech at the 30th regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation organised by the ministry in Abuja.

Aliyu said some of the programmes outlined by the government had been introduced to ensure the successful implementation of the 2024 dry season farming and create millions of jobs.

“In resolve to align with the state of emergency on food security declaration and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration, I wish to inform you that the ministry has introduced the following three flagship programmes: Water for Expanded Irrigated Agriculture Programme; Partnership for Expanded Irrigation Programme; and River Basin Strategy for Poverty Alleviation,” he said.

“The implementation of the above-named programmes has kick-started with the launch of the dry season farming covering a total of 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State in November 2023 by the Federal Government in collaboration with Jigawa State under the National Wheat Development Programme.

“In view of the foregoing, some RBDAs (River Basin Development Authorities) have already leveraged on the current intervention to launch dry season farming within the catchment areas.

“The expected outcome from the various interventions is to create five to 10 million jobs for our teeming youths within the agricultural value chain,” he stated.

Continuing, the Permanent Secretary explained that the major components of the declaration of a state of emergency on food security with respect to the water and sanitation sector include the fact that all matters pertaining to food and water availability and affordability as essential livelihood items be included within the purview of the National Security Council.

He noted that the declaration also required the ministry to engage security architecture to protect the farms and the farmers such that farmers can return to the farmlands without fear of being attacked.

“The 12 River Basin Development Authorities should ensure the planting of crops during the dry season with irrigation schemes that will guarantee continuous farming production all year to stem the seasonal scarcity,” he added.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now