Northeast Governors Vow To Enhance Small-Scale Irrigation Farming

News in brief:- The Northeast Governors Forum in Nigeria, led by Governor Babagana Zulum, vows to rejuvenate small-scale irrigation farming to combat climate change's effects and enhance regional agricultural resilience. - He highlights the importance of engaging stakeholders for industrial development and expresses gratitude to President Tinubu for addressing multifaceted challenges in the region. In a concerted effort to combat the detrimental effects of climate change, the Northeast Governors Forum (NEGF) of Nigeria has pledged to revitalise small-scale irrigation farming, in that region. Governor Babagana Zulum, the NEGF's Chairman, announced this commitment during the ninth meeting of the forum held in Yola, Adamawa State, recently. Acknowledging agriculture as the cornerstone of the region's economy and sustenance, Governor Zulum emphasised the need for its reinforcement. He further underscored the importance of engaging key stakeholders in an industrial development program aimed at fostering the utilization of local resources within the region. Furthermore, Governor Zulum expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering resolve to restore peace and security in the region and the nation as a whole. He however highlighted the region's multifaceted challenges. These include; safeguarding lives and property, tackling poverty, and addressing unemployment, which he deemed too daunting to tackle alone. The NEGF's pledge to bolster small-scale irrigation farming aligns with the broader objective of enhancing agricultural productivity and resilience in the face of climate change. By promoting water-efficient irrigation practices, the initiative holds the potential to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate variability and strengthen food security in the Northeast region. In similar report, state heads in the region's neighbour, the Northwest, had recently met with executives of the African Development Bank (AfDB) to solicit its support in boosting agriculture, security and human capital development. They also requested that the institution include the states in Phase 2 of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) program.