The Federal Government has intensified its push for all-season farming as the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (LBRBDA) urges farmers and agribusiness owners across rural communities to embrace irrigation as a pathway to food security and sustainable livelihoods.
At the grand finale of a three-day capacity development programme in Makurdi, Managing Director of the Authority, Engr. Terese Ninga, said irrigation is no longer optional if Nigeria must secure its position as a food-secure nation under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He noted that the Middle Belt’s potential as the country’s food basket cannot be fully realised when farming stops at the end of the rains.
Ninga explained that the initiative which includes access to essential skills and grants, is designed to make agribusiness profitable, to reduce rural poverty, and to attract youths and women into active crop and livestock production.
He added that with abundant water resources across the region, dry-season agriculture offers a clear route to increased yields, higher incomes, and consistent food supply throughout the year.
He reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to partnering stakeholders to accelerate modern farming practices and ensure that interventions reach farmers who truly need them. “Farming should not go on break because the rains have stopped,” he said. “Irrigation guarantees harvest after harvest — and this is the future we must all work towards.”
Representative of the lead partner, Abeam Global Resources, Mr. Kola Balogun, stated that the training was deliberately structured to tackle the most pressing barriers to productivity, including limited technical capacity and low adaptation to climate-resilient technologies. He urged beneficiaries to translate the new knowledge into measurable progress on their farms.
The initiative drew no fewer than 60 farmers and agribusiness operators from Benue, Plateau, Kogi and Nasarawa States. Beneficiaries expressed optimism that the skills and financial support received will open new doors for expansion. Businesswoman and participant, Ene Idoko, said the sessions on planning, budgeting and record-keeping were “eye-opening” and promised to apply them immediately. Another participant, Samuel Lohman from Plateau State, described the training as “timely and impactful for every serious farmer.”
With increasing pressure on food supply nationwide, the Authority says irrigation will remain one of its strongest tools in strengthening agricultural resilience and ensuring food remains available, accessible and affordable — across seasons and across Nigeria.
