Nigeria is trying to break its dependence on rain-fed farming by putting its long-neglected dams and irrigation schemes back to work, a shift the government hopes will let farmers grow food all year rather than through a single wet season. The country has more than 260 dams and irrigation potential of about 3.1 million hectares, yet only around 150,000 hectares have been developed, according to Nigerian Observer.
A Big Push on Irrigation
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, launched the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria project, a $500 million initiative that aims to expand irrigation, improve dam safety and boost energy production, with part of the funding earmarked to rehabilitate about 40,000 hectares of irrigated land, according to Ecofin Agency. The same report noted that Nigeria uses less than 20 per cent of its irrigable land even as it ranks among Africa's largest food importers, spending an average of nearly $5.59 billion on food imports each year between 2021 and 2023.
States Move on Their Dams
The drive is also visible at state level. Jigawa State is rehabilitating two dams that, once completed, will open up irrigation on about 500 hectares of farmland and benefit roughly 15,000 people, expanding dry-season farming in the surrounding communities, according to Daily Post. Analysts have long argued that functioning dams would let farmers cultivate two or three times a year for crops like maize, beans, tomatoes and vegetables that mature in about three months, as Nigerian Observer reported.
Year-round production is one of the surest ways to smooth the seasonal price swings that hit shoppers hardest during the lean months. FoodPrices Nigeria tracks verified retail prices across Lagos markets, where the payoff from reliable irrigation would show up in steadier supply.
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