Flood Alert: Kwara Gov’t Issues Advisory To Farmers

The Kwara State government on Tuesday issued an advisory to crop and fish farmers in the state, urging them to take immediate precautions in the light of the flash flood alert recently released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Although Kwara is not among the 19 states listed as high-risk in NiMet’s July 2025 advisory, the government however, noted that the unpredictable nature of the climate and increasing rainfall intensity might still pose serious threats to farmlands and agricultural livelihoods across the state.

In a statement signed by the press secretary of the state’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ashaolu Omotola, the government said flash floods, which can occur suddenly and without much warning, may result in waterlogging, erosion, pond overflows, and the destruction of crops, farm structures, and input stores if timely preventive action was not taken.

Omotola urged the crop farmers to create temporary diversion channels to redirect excess water from farmland, use sandbags or soil mounds to protect crops in low-lying plots, move seeds, fertilizers, and equipment to higher ground, and where possible, harvest near-mature crops early to reduce potential losses.

The government also urged the fish farmers to reinforce pond embankments and perimeter barriers using temporary support like sandbags, lower water levels in ponds ahead of anticipated heavy rainfall, safeguard power sources and aeration systems against outages and as well relocate portable tanks or hatchery systems from flood-prone zones.

“The Kwara State Government urges farmers to remain alert, monitor weather advisories, and act swiftly to reduce potential damage. Preventive action taken now can protect months of effort and preserve livelihoods.

“This alert is part of the government’s commitment to safeguarding food production, improving resilience in the face of climate change, and ensuring the continued growth of the State’s agricultural sector,” it added.