The Federal Government is to construct additional 400 dams to boost irrigation across the country before 2019.
Speaking in Abuja at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Food Crisis Prevention Network, President Muhammadu Buhari explained that due to the growing population the Federal Government has resolved to focus on revamping agriculture and solid mineral sectors.
According to the President, the government had started implementing measures to expand the production of grains and other agricultural produce in Nigeria, adding that the country would start experiencing three harvesting seasons when more dams become operational in the next two years.
Represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Buhari said:“We can no longer rely on rainfall, we have to create more dams, water reservoirs and insist on harvesting food at least three times in a year.
“I am happy to tell you that programme is being designed and in the next two and half years we shall add to the existing 200 dams at least another 400 dams across the country to encourage irrigation on a large scale.”
Making reference to Nigeria’s increasing population, he said the number of citizens across the country might hit 500 million by 2050 and that there was the need to plan how to feed the nation when its population gets to that level.
The President said, “We are not unmindful of our huge population here, hence the need to urgently ensure that the agricultural sector is revitalised as soon as possible. Our population here doubles every 25 years. Estimates are that by 2050 Nigeria will be in the region of 450 to 500 million persons, making us the third most populated country on planet earth coming after China and India.
