From Umar Dankano, Yola
The Management of Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, UBRBDA in collaboration with SANY Group, a multinational Chinese firm based in Changsha,Hunan Province of Republic of China, SANY Group to launch an invented and upgraded water reticulation technology for boosting irrigation farming.
Managing Director of the Authority, UBRBDA. Dr. Mahmud Sanusi Mohammed disclosed the innovative development while taking journalists on a facility tour to inspect some of the invented machines made out obsolete diesel water pump at the famous Gerio irrigation farms in Yola North local government area of Adamawa state.
These converted diesel water pump sets were manufactured basically to pump water optimally in to the water channels for the purpose of moisturing the farm to boost crops production.
Mohammed explained that the efforts are designed to ensure that farmers participating in the irrigation scheme receive adequate water supply throughout the farming season noting that the Chinese company would arrive the state in no distance time with a view to validate the new innovative strategy to be replicated for global benefits.
Mohammed explained that the feat was reached out of their desire to make a paradigm shift from outdated ways to present day methodology and to save government from huge financial burden in the use of obsolete equipments and to ensure effective and efficient service delivery to the farmers.
According to him, his management is poised to provision of hi-tech irrigation farming modalities to the over 1,500 farmers currently farming under the lake Gerio irrigation scheme assuring other farmers on expansion drive to ensure everyone is accommodated.
He added that, the strategy is inline with president Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda meant for promotion of Agricultural activities and and food security in the country noting that, use of donkey years obsolete machines will be counter-productive in a digital age globe.
He confirmed that, this axial technology adopted was more efficient, cost effective and has capacity to perform optimally by pumping more volumes of water for irrigation purpose.
The MD said that, In addition to improving water delivery systems, the Authority has also carried out some interventions including; rehabilitating the access road leading to the irrigation facility using biotechnology-based stabilization techniques,strategic sediment management along sections of River Benue to improve water flow.
He also mentioned desilting of irrigation canals to enhance water distribution, and the clearing of invasive aquatic vegetation that previously obstructed water movement within the irrigation channels.