Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar, has said that the World Bank, h as pledged to assist the state government to dredge River Hadejia so as to improve irrigation and rice production in the state.
The governor said this while receiving the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammad Sunusi, during a visit to the Government House, Dutse, the state capital, on Thursday.
The World Bank has interest in the project due to the availability of fertile land in the area, coupled with the state government’s commitment to agriculture and rice production policy,” he said.
“The World Bank in collaboration with the International Development Agency (IDA), would expand irrigation project in the state from 40, 000 hectares of land to 300,000 hectares of land.”
He said that the African Development Bank (ADB), would also assist in supporting rice production through irrigation scheme.
Governor Abubakar said that “from what we realised from the current Dangote rice production scheme, there is an indication that very soon, Jigawa State would compete favourably with other states in the country in rice production”.
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