Nigeria recently declared a national emergency on food security, following the urgent need to expand irrigation infrastructure and implement participatory water resource management across the country.
At the just concluded 6th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage in Abuja, Nigeria’s president Bola Tinubu who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, hinted that the nation possesses over 3.1 million hectares of irrigable land, particularly near major river basins such as the Niger and Benue rivers.
Meanwhile, Dr. Moctar Dembélé, a researcher at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), emphasized the critical role of integrated water management in addressing Africa’s pressing challenges related to food security, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
Dr. Dembélé, who specializes in hydrological modeling, water accounting, and climate change adaptation, highlighted the importance of leveraging data-driven approaches and participatory water governance to optimize irrigation systems and water resource management across the continent.
He underscored that effective water management is essential for enhancing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security in the face of climate variability and water scarcity.