Local Authorities Give 500 Irrigation Pumps to Nigerian Farmers
The Plateau regional government from Nigeria has distributed 500 units of irrigation water pumps to farmers in the southern zone of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the distribution was carried out under the Phase One-assisted Africa Development Bank Group (AFDP) Potatoes Value Chain Support Program (PVCSP) in Plateau.
NAN reports that the state government procured 1,500 irrigation water pumps to be distributed to farmers across the 17 Local Government Areas in the state. Governor Simon Lalong, during the exercise on Wednesday in Jos, said that the gesture was part of his holistic transformation for potatoes farming in the state. He said that potatoes farmers had been suffering hardship of lack of improved seeds, potato diseases and lack of preservation among others, adding that his administration would address the issues under the potato value chain project.
“We are undertaking various infrastructure projects under the Potato Value Chain Program. This includes market infrastructure, diffused light stores, processing centers and rehabilitation of rural roads covering all the zones of the state,” he said.
In addition to the nearly-completed projects, the state would construct 34 water harvesting structures, 20 spring captures, 1000 wash bores and 150 tube wells across the 17 local government areas.
“Our administration is also carrying out the construction of 200km rural roads across the 17 local governments, which will create access for transporting farm inputs and evacuating harvested crops with ease,” Lalong said.
He said the pumps distributed to six local governments in the southern zone of the state would continue in the central and northern zones.
