FILE PHOTO: Irrigation Farming

The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU) has trained 40 young farmers in Kano on improved irrigation technology.

The training was in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), under the Technology for African Agricultural Transformation-Water Enabler Compact (TAAT-WEC) project.

Speaking during the training at Alkamawa in Bunkure Local Government Area of the State, the TAAT-WEC National Coordinator, Prof. Henry Igbadu said the training was aimed at creating awareness among young farmers on modern irrigation technology.

Igbadu said the participants selected from the three Senatorial zones would be trained on the installation of PVC pipes pressured irrigation system.

According to him, the training is targeted at shifting the farmers from traditional to the modern method of irrigation farming.

“We are training 30 young farmers selected by the Kano State Agricultural Development Agency (KNARDA), and 10 extension workers selected by the Wheat Farmers Association and Wheat innovation platform.

“The participants are from the three senatorial zones, Alkamawa in Bunkure, Kadawa in Garin Malam Bagwai and Kura Local Government Areas, where wheat farmers dominate,” he said.

Igbadun said the training was aimed at introducing the young farmers to the new technology early in life, hoping that they would sustain it and to enable them to retrain other youths as future leaders.

The Coordinator said that the on-farm training would give the farmers the opportunity to acquire knowledge on the new dry season water management on wheat and rice production.

He said that the technology had recorded a reduction in water conveyance losses by 90 per cent with the use of PVC pipes to distribute water, reduction in the cost of production and increase in profit.

Igbadu said that the project, which they demonstrated also introduced improved seeds to the farmers was funded by the African Development Bank (ADB).

“Our target within the three years of the project which started in 2019, is to engage not less than 25,000 youth farmers across Kaduna, Nasarawa, Jigawa and Kano states.”

Speaking to NAN, two of the participants, Mr Bashar Abdullahi and Husna Aminu, while commending the project coordinator, assured him that they would use the opportunity to mobilise others to adopt the same method.

Aminu said that the training was a welcome development and it would contribute to boosting the economy, especially now that agriculture was the major focus of President Muhammad Buhari.