The Board of the World Bank (WB) has approved US$495.3 million to improve farmers’ access to irrigation, drainage services and generally boost agriculture in Nigeria, according to a statement from the Bretton Woods Institution.
The statement, quoted by the local media Monday, said the money – which will be disbursed to Northern Nigeria – was also to strengthen institutional arrangements for integrated water resources management.
The fund will also enhance delivery of agricultural services in selected large-scale public schemes in the Northern region.
The World Bank said it hoped to carry out its plan to support the development of agriculture in the region through a project called, ”Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING)”.
TRIMING will improve existing irrigation on 27,000 hectares, irrigate an additional 23,000 hectares and benefit more than 140,000 farmers, while mobilising private sector investment.
It marks a transformational effort to improve large-scale public irrigation for expanding food production and encourage economic growth in rural areas, which is necessary to end poverty and boost prosperity, as well as enhance resilience of agriculture production systems.
