The River Basin Development Authorities, RBDAs, have announced plans to inject thirteen billion Naira for irrigation development in 2024 to boost food production in Nigeria.

The Managing Director, Hadejia-Jama’are RBDA, Mr Ma’amun Da’u Aliyu, disclosed this in his keynote address during a three-day event in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with the theme, “Water, Agriculture, Climate Change and Developmental Challenges in our Basins.”

Aliyu also disclosed that the Commission has been able to inject about N198 billion over the years into the economy for agricultural development including irrigation, expressing hope that such would be sustained for the wellbeing of the people.

He, however, harped on the need for prioritising irrigation development, employment generation in the commission, water supply and adequate funding, saying these would boost agricultural development in the country and actualize President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said, “We have captured N13 billion for irrigation development in 2024.

“The RBDAs must, however, try to overcome the multiple challenges facing them through efficiency in service delivery, to be able to regain the confidence of the communities they are serving and the government in general.”

Speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the event, Mallam Jamilu Gwangwazo of the Nigeria Institute of Hospitality and Tourism, Bagaud Lake Northwest campus, Kano State stressed the need for Nigerians to go for local recipes in agricultural production, which is more hygienic, affordable and environmentally friendly.

Gwangwazo, who presented a paper titled, “Healthy Living Tips Recipe for Affordable and Hygienic Diet in Nigeria”, urged Nigerians to embrace local food with high nutritional value.

“We want to remind people of local recipes they are leaving behind. Even during the time of our forefathers, they used these local recipes and they even lived more and were healthier than people are nowadays.

“In terms of nutritional value, local recipes have more nutritional value than some of these foreign expensive things because they are naturally created for us. They contain all the nutrients that the body needs to function,” Gwangwazo said.