FG Flags Off Dry Season Farming

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Engineer Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev has flagged off the 2023–2024 dry season farming

Performing the ceremony on Wednesday at Obayantor two community in Benin Edo State, Professor Utsev called on State governments and community leaders to allocate lands for irrigation farming to boost food production in the country.

According to the Minister, the Federal Government has enough resources and expertise to promote irrigation farming across the country stressing that it was the desire of President Bola Tinubu administration to ensure food security and boost the economy and revenue of the country through agriculture and food production.

He called on the twelve River Basin Development Authorities in the country to commence dry season farming without delay.

Earlier, Managing Director Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority Engineer Saliu Osufueme Ahmed explained that the agency under his leadership has installed meteorological stations in its catchment areas of Edo, Dennis Osadebe University campus Asaba, Delta State, Ikere in Ekiti as well as Akure in Ondo State and set up ten river gauging stations to obtain accurate data on water level,soil temperature, rainfall,solar radiation among other informations that can be useful for flood control and draught management.

During the visit, Professor Utsev performed a symbolic seed planting to mark the flag off of the 2023-2024 dry seasoning farming and unveiled the 2021-2022 Hydrological year book as well as Commissioned the one point two kilometer access road to the Benin- Owena River Basin Development Authority off Benin Sapele road, executed by the agency.