Daily Independent (Lagos)
Nigeria: Yobe Plans Irrigation to Engage 40,000 Youths
By Mohammed Abubakar
7 SEPTEMBER 2015
Damaturu — As part of efforts to eradicate poverty, Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, has concluded plans to set up a new irrigation scheme, which would engage up to 40, 000 youths across the state as part of the government’s efforts to empower youths for self-reliance.
Gaidam, who is currently on a visit to the People’s Republic of China on the invitation of Chinese agriculture and infrastructure investors, has already met and held talks with various potential investors, including an irrigation equipment manufacturing firm called Rainfine (Dalian) Irrigation Company Ltd which specializes in the manufacture, installation and training of people in centre pivot irrigation technology in the Chinese city of Dalian.
This was contained in a press statement signed by Abdullahi Bego, Director of Press Affairs to Governor Gaidam. According to him “the governor has also visited a modern irrigation farm company in the town of Jixian called Tianjing Jixian Lvpusheng Vegetable Planning Company Limited and had a fruitful discussion with the farm’s Managing Director, Ms Lu Xiulung”.
His words: “Irrigation agriculture is very significant in unleashing the enthusiasm and capacity of our youth for self-reliance. We are very much committed to using irrigation as another catalyst for helping to empower our youths. This is why we came here to establish wide ranging partnerships that will accelerate irrigation agriculture in our State.
“We are particularly interested in modern centre-pivot irrigation where a single machine or a cluster of machines can irrigate large expanses of land. We can use this all year round to irrigate farmlands and produce crops that will positively impact the lives and future of our youths and improve on our economy in the long term.
“I am confident we can begin this before the year runs out; precisely within the next three months. We have it in our budget for the year and we are determined to carry it through”, said after inspecting irrigation equipment on the factory floor of Rainfine Irrigation Company in Dalian.
Gaidam has also announced the setting up of a small committee of agricultural experts under the leadership of former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Alhaji Gambomi Goni to work out modalities on the implementation of the partnership with Rainfine Irrigation Company, including identifying at least four locations where new irrigation farms will be set up across the State.
RainFine Irrigation Company’s General Manager, Mr. Wang Zhi told reporters after meeting with Governor Ibrahim Gaidam that centre pivot irrigation agriculture technologies are much more effective and cheaper than their predecessors. He said that they take less time to set up, require less maintenance and are much easier to handle by local farmers.
Mr. Wang Zhi said he is excited to work with the Yobe State Government to boost food production in the state and added that his company has worked previously with local and state governments in Ethiopia and the Sudan in the area of irrigation agriculture.
The statement added that Gaidam has also met in the Chinese city of Tianjing with the Chairman of China International Engineering Company Ltd 18th Bureau Group Mr. Peng Shigou to explore the possibilities of a partnership to develop and expand infrastructure in the Yobe State capital, Damaturu.
International Engineering Company Ltd 18th Bureau Group is Chinese State Company which specializes in road and bridge construction, water works and other engineering projects.
The governor said the Yobe State Government will undertake an urban renewal of the State capital by building more roads and an overhead bridge in the centre of Damaturu as well as provide steady and adequate water supply.
