IWMI Launches Platform to Boost Farmer-led Irrigation in Nigeria

News in brief: -The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has launched a Multi-Stakeholder Platform on Farmer-led Irrigation Development (MSD-FLID) in partnership with Nigerian ministries and the Bank of Agriculture to scale up irrigation and boost food security. -The platform will promote solar-powered irrigation, mobilise investments, and strengthen collaboration to unlock Nigeria’s vast but underutilised irrigation potential.

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has launched a Multi-Stakeholder Platform on Farmer-led Irrigation Development (MSD-FLID) to strengthen food security and improve farmers’ livelihoods in Nigeria. The initiative, announced in Abuja, is in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Bank of Agriculture, and several other actors in the agricultural value chain.

According to IWMI, the platform will improve coordination, accelerate the scaling up of farmer-led irrigation, and promote innovative solutions, including solar-powered irrigation. It will also host quarterly dialogues to track progress and align with Nigeria’s national food security and agricultural transformation agenda.

Who It Concerns The platform targets smallholder farmers, policymakers, financial institutions, private sector players, and researchers working in agriculture and water management. IWMI’s Africa Director for Research Impact, Dr Olufunke Cofie, said farmer-led irrigation is “critical to transforming Africa’s agri-food systems and building resilience,” but progress in Nigeria has been slowed by weak coordination, policy gaps, and limited access to finance.

At the launch, Mrs Esther Oluniyi, Director of Irrigation and Drainage at the Ministry of Water Resources, emphasised the importance of partnerships in reforming irrigation, while the Bank of Agriculture’s Managing Director, Mr Ayo Sotinrin, pledged support through tailored financing, solar irrigation schemes, and strategic partnerships.

What You Should Know Nigeria has an irrigation potential of about 3.14 million hectares of farmland, but only 169,718 hectares—or 5.4%—have been developed for irrigation, leaving more than 94% without access to a water supply for year-round farming. This underutilization has fueled food insecurity, rising import bills, and high vulnerability to climate change, as farmers remain heavily dependent on seasonal rainfall.

The challenges hampering irrigation expansion include high costs of petrol-powered pumps, weak policies, inadequate support services, and deteriorating infrastructure in many public schemes. While government efforts—such as the National Irrigation Programme (2016–2030) and the distribution of solar-powered pumps for dry-season farming—are ongoing, gaps remain.

Stakeholders at the IWMI launch identified opportunities in solar irrigation innovations, decision-support tools, and farmer advisory platforms. Scaling up farmer-led irrigation, they noted, will require innovative financing, efficient technologies, and stronger capacity-building for farmers.

By serving as a hub for research, policy engagement, and investment mobilisation, the new platform is expected to help Nigeria unlock its vast irrigation potential, reduce dependence on rainfall, and advance food security goals.