The Federal government has handed over the rehabilitated water pumping station in Ifite Ogwari, in the Ayamelum Council Area of Anambra State, to the state government to boost all-year-round rice planting.
The rehabilitation of the pumping station, which had been vandalized for decades, is targeted to transform agriculture in the food-basket area of the state from a subsistence enterprise to a modern, competitive, and sustainable income-generating sector.
It is expected to provide irrigation services to over 2,000 hectares of land for year-round rice farming, bringing direct benefits to thousands of farmers and households in the area.
During the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, who was represented by the National Program Coordinator, Agricultural Transformation Agenda Phase One, Dr. Mohammed Arabi, called on farmers in the area to take ownership of the project.
The Minister said beyond food production, the scheme will drive rural industrialization, creation of employment and youth empowerment, while supporting agribusiness in processing, storage and marketing.
“For years, farmers depended largely on rain-fed agriculture, limiting productivity and exposing them to climate-related challenges. With this irrigation infrastructure fully restored, farmers can now engage in multiple planting cycles annually and improve yields and income,” he said.
The Zonal Program Coordinator, Agriculture Transformation Agenda, Mr. Roman’s Egba, said that the pumping station is expected to provide a steady supply of irrigation water through a 40.1-kilometer-long lined concrete canal network serving extensive farmlands within the Ayamelum local government area.
Mr Egba said the development will significantly improve dry-season farming, encourage all-season agricultural production, increase crop yields, and contribute to food security as well as increase the income of people in the area, especially farmers.
He said, “The pumping station is a critical component of the irrigation system serving the Ayamelum agricultural corridor. Its rehabilitation became necessary after years of deterioration that disrupted water supply and farming activities.”
The Chairman, Anambra Imo River Basin Development Authority, AIRBDA, Chief Emma Anosike, who commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for donating a 500 KVA transformer to the facility, said capable engineers will be posted to the station to ensure its sustainability.
Appreciating the ATASP-1 for restoring the facility, Anosike assured that AIRBDA will ensure efficient management and long-term sustainability of the infrastructure.
The Traditional ruler of Ifite Ogwari, Igwe Alphonsus Ofoebe, expressed optimism that the rehabilitation will serve as a boost to agricultural production in the South East.
