As disclosed by Blueprint, In response to the recent halt in rainfall attributed to climate change, the Kwara State Government has unveiled plans for an extensive irrigation project, which will cover large expanses of land in the Omu-Aran and Dukulade communities.

Additionally, the government has revealed a comprehensive 30-year water and investment plan for the state. The proposed initiatives will be implemented in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AFDB) and the Kwara State Government.

This announcement was made by the Kwara State Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Lade, during the quarterly ministerial press briefing. The briefing was chaired by the Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bola Olukoju, and also featured the attendance of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye.

The commissioner said the choice of Omu- Aran in Kwara South senatorial district and Dukulade in Kwara North, was arrived at because they meet the standard requirement of having at least 500 hectares of land available for irrigation farming.

Lade said the project is to ensure that farmers in the state practice all year round agriculture leveraging on the opportunities available with the dams in the areas.

Blueprint recalls that the federal government had through the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin in 2023, commissioned a 3.5 million cubic water capacity dam that will power at least 150, 000 hectares of irrigation farm land in Omu- Aran, Irepodun local government.

On the efforts to end open defecation, Lade disclosed that the state government under it RUWASA project have constructed 10 smart toilets each in three selected local governments assuring that more will be replicated in other local government areas.