By Abdullahi Lukman
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with relevant ministries and stakeholders to advance food security, reduce poverty, create jobs and drive economic growth in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, made the commitment on Thursday during the High-Level Briefing on the Draft Nigeria Strategy and Action Plan for the Implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Declaration (2026–2035).
The event was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with development partners, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
Prof. Utsev emphasised that sustainable agricultural transformation requires a coordinated and multi-sectoral approach, stressing that his ministry remains committed to providing the water resources needed to support all-season farming across the country.
According to him, the ministry is expanding dams and reservoirs, improving irrigation infrastructure, developing groundwater resources, strengthening flood risk management and promoting ecosystem protection to increase agricultural productivity through irrigated farming.
The minister also called for the integration of water resources planning into national agricultural investment programmes to align with the objectives of the CAADP Kampala Declaration, which seeks to transform Africa’s agrifood systems over the next decade.
He further advocated increased investment in climate-smart irrigation, rainwater harvesting, watershed restoration, resilient water infrastructure, hydrological monitoring, early warning systems and climate information services to enable farmers to make informed decisions and improve productivity.
Describing water as the foundation of agricultural development, Prof. Utsev urged greater private sector participation in water infrastructure development. He noted that the 12 River Basin Development Authorities and other agencies under the ministry would continue collaborating with private investors to enhance food production and improve livelihoods across the country.
The briefing also featured presentations by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar; and other senior government officials.
