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Tag: River Basin

  • River basin authorities promise improved irrigation, agribusiness expansion

    River basin authorities promise improved irrigation, agribusiness expansion

    The nation’s 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) have promised a renewed and aggressive push to expand agriculture through irrigation and foster unlock large-scale agribusiness opportunities nationwide.

    The authorities said their response was in response to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security.

    The chairman of RBDA Managing Directors’ Forum, Alhaji Abubakar Malam, made the promise at the close of a high-level retreat for the boards’ and management workers of the authorities in Abuja.

    Malam said the retreat deepened strategic alignment with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reinforced RBDAs’ commitment to making Nigeria food-secure through expanded land cultivation, modern irrigation, and youth-driven agribusiness.

    “Let me assure Mr. President that the River Basin Authorities stand united in advancing this national agenda. We are scaling up efforts to open more arable land, boost food production, and create income-generating opportunities for youth and women through agribusiness,” he said.

    The forum chairman said the RBDAs would aggressively deploy modern irrigation technologies and overhaul outdated systems to overcome barriers posed by obsolete infrastructure, climate change, and regional insecurity.

    Read Also: River basin appointees storm SGF’s office over delayed appointment letters

    According to him, the renewed drive will be guided by sustainable development principles in line with global targets, including Zero Hunger, Clean Water, and Climate Action.

    “Many of our facilities are obsolete, and climate change continues to disrupt operations but we are determined to change the narrative by thinking innovatively and leveraging technology,” Malam said.

    The forum chairman stressed the need for strategic partnerships with state governments and the private sector to align local interventions with national priorities.

    He said the partial commercialisation policy provides a new window for investment, announcing that all RBDAs had adopted open-door policies to attract private capital and expertise.

    Malam urged stakeholders to use the opportunities, saying the RBDAs were open for business and welcome partners to drive real impact in Nigeria’s food system.

    The forum chairman expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for prioritising the RBAs in its development strategy, assuring that their collective efforts would soon translate into tangible outcomes: more food on the table, lower prices, and improved livelihoods.

    “By the time we address the press again, Nigerians will see the difference — food abundance and reduced cost across the nation,” Malam said.

  • FG commercialises 12 River Basin development authorities for sustainability

    FG commercialises 12 River Basin development authorities for sustainability

    The federal government has approved the partial commercialisation of the 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) in the country to make them sustainable and commercially viable.

    The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joesph Terlumun Utsev, who disclosed this during his two-day familiarization visit to Anambra Imo River Basin Development Authority(AIRBDA) in Owerri, Imo state, said the move would reposition the establishments for more viability.

    While calling on credible investors to invest more in the water sector, he said other steps the government has taken to revitalise the River Basin Development Authorities include making the Songhai Integrated Model Farming produce more foods, training youths in agribusiness, empowering graduates and youths as well as jobs and wealth creation.

    He said the ministry would pay greater attention to the expansion of irrigation development while reactivating the existing moribund schemes across the country in order to actualise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the declaration of emergency on food security

    He noted: “Accordingly we will explore innovative ways and means of reviving the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project (LAIP) which is the single largest rice irrigation project in the Southeast zone with huge potential for food security, wealth creation, poverty reduction, and job creation.”

    Read Also: Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority sets up five farms to support agriculture

    While commending the managing director, management, and staff of AIRBDA for their achievements so far, he reiterated the need for upscaling the productive activities, especially in areas of comparative advantage such as palm plantation, and cultivation of tubers and vegetables to actualise targets set for RBDAs.

    He warned it would no longer be business as usual as the ministry under his watch would ensure strict compliance with set targets. 

    He stated: “We will make sure that good performance will be rewarded while there will be consequences for underperformance.”

    In his address, the Managing Director AIRBD, Gerald Osuagwu expressed delight in receiving the minister and restated the resolve of the management and staff to deliver on the mandate given to the authority.