In its move to address the challenges posed by climate change in food production, the Jigawa State government is set to introduce a drip irrigation system as part of its efforts to increase crop output and reduce the cost of production.
In Dutse, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba, disclosed that the new drip irrigation system is more cost-effective and efficient compared to the prevalent flood irrigation system currently practiced in the state and other regions.
Drip irrigation remains one of the most innovative forms of irrigation; it delivers water and nutrients directly to the plant’s root zone across the field in pipes called dripelines, featuring small units known as drippers that emit drops containing water and fertilizer, resulting in the uniform application of water and nutrients.
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Garba noted that adopting drip irrigation extends beyond water efficiency and includes addressing the productivity gaps resulting from constant flooding and drought-related climate change issues in the state.
According to him, the new irrigation system is capable of increasing crop output by up to 60% per acre, adding that it will also enable farmers to reduce the use of fertilizers and water in their irrigation farmlands while increasing production output.
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The commissioner said that the state is working on transitioning from traditional irrigation methods to drip irrigation through the introduction of the system in each Emirate center and establishing demonstration farms to allow irrigation farming communities to learn and potentially adopt the new system.
He made it known that the state government is fully committed to adopting this innovative method to meet 100% of the irrigation demand in the state, while assuring farmers that they would greatly benefit from the innovation.
