The Benefits and Constraints of Irrigation Farming in Northern Nigeria: A Case Study along River Jare in Bakori Local Government Area, Katsina State

Abstract

In Nigeria, the Federal Government has recently started shifting its attention to agriculture as a means of stimulating the economy against the continuous decline in oil revenue, which is a response to the global shift from hydrocarbons towards the actualisation of the green energy revolution agenda.  More emphasis is being put on developing the enormous potential that lies in agriculture, both as a viable option for diversifying the economy and as a major employer of labour to reduce unemployment rates.  In many states of the Federation, particularly those in the northern part, food security is of paramount importance due to the high population nature of the region.  As such, conscious efforts are being made to develop the agricultural sector to ensure food sufficiency, the provision of income, and employment generation for the teaming population.  This paper analyses the benefits and constraints of irrigation farming activities along the River Jare in the Bakori local government area, Katsina State.  Data for the study were generated through direct field observations and a structured questionnaire, which was administered to the seasoned farmers at the sampled sites in the study area.  The results revealed the major benefits of irrigation farming along the river, which include improving the livelihoods of the farmers through increased income as 47% earned between ₦300,000 and ₦500,000 from the irrigation with an average of ₦312,000, and employment creation as 68% of the farmers sourced their labour through hired/contract method.  On the other hand, the results also showed several constraints, such as the changing climate as identified by 64% of the farmers and this affects water availability in the river, the increasing rate of gully erosion along the river banks as mentioned by 16% of the farmers, pests, and diseases was mentioned by 10%, and high cost of farm inputs as well as fluctuations in the market price of farm produce were both mentioned by 5% of the farmers as major challenges to irrigation farming in the study area.  Sustainable government intervention that includes the provision of soft loans, training of the farmers on new irrigation techniques, and soil conservation practices to reduce the rate of gully erosion along the river is recommended.  Moreover, dredging and proper management of the Bakori dam are also recommended, which ultimately reduces the pressure on the river.