Nasarawa Moves To Establish Mini Dams For Year-Round Farming

The Nasarawa State Government has unveiled plans to establish mini dams across the state to support irrigation farming, enable year-round agricultural production, and strengthen food security.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Umar Tanko Tunga, disclosed this on Monday during a ministerial briefing organised by the State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism in collaboration with the Nasarawa State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Lafia.

He said the proposed mini dams would be strategically located to support irrigation farming, adding that the initiative would help increase food production and engage youths and women productively in agriculture.

Tunga noted that the federal government had earlier approved the construction of two dams in Lafia and Tide, as well as the completion of the Farin Ruwa project for hydropower generation, irrigation and water supply.

He explained that the state’s mini dam initiative would complement federal interventions aimed at ensuring food security and expanding agricultural productivity.

According to him, the administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule has made significant progress in the agricultural sector, attracting both local and foreign investments into large-scale farming.

He cited the 10,000-hectare Jangwa/Agwatashi rice farm as the largest public-private agricultural investment in the North Central region, noting that the project has empowered women and youths across the rice value chain while promoting mechanised farming.

Tunga also disclosed that the government’s investor-friendly policies led to the establishment of a 10,000-hectare Integrated Cassava Industrial City (SCIC) by Sequoia Holdings Ltd in Kokona Local Government Area.

He said the project, valued at over N30 billion, represents a major milestone in agro-industrial development and cassava value chain expansion in Nigeria.