FG Advances Food Security, Climate Resilience with Bela Dam, Irrigation Projects, Unveil Modern Training Centre in Kano
The Federal Government on Tuesday deepened its push for food security, climate resilience and youth empowerment with the flag-off of the Bela Dam Project, the launch of a pilot Kaukau Drip Irrigation scheme, and the commissioning of a modern Conference and Training Centre in Kano State.
The projects were unveiled in Bichi Local Government Area by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, as part of coordinated federal interventions to strengthen sustainable water management, boost agricultural productivity and build human capital.
At the foundation-laying ceremony for the Bela Dam in Bela Community, the minister described the project as a major milestone in the Federal Government’s development agenda. He said the multipurpose dam, with a storage capacity of 775,000 cubic metres, is designed to address perennial flooding while supporting irrigation, domestic water supply, fisheries, livestock production and other agricultural activities.
According to Utsev, the dam, when completed, will improve livelihoods, enhance food production, expand economic opportunities for host communities and strengthen climate resilience. He urged residents to support and safeguard the facility to ensure long-term benefits.
“As a nation, we can transform our water resources into powerful drivers of prosperity, food sufficiency and national development,” the minister said.
During the visit, Utsev also launched a pilot drip irrigation scheme at Kaukau in Bichi LGA, performing a symbolic planting of crops alongside the Managing Director of the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA), Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, and technical directors from the ministry. The initiative, he said, underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to practical, results-driven agricultural interventions.
Earlier, the minister commissioned a modern Conference and Training Centre at the HJRBDA as part of efforts to strengthen human capital development, empower youths and women, and promote climate-smart agriculture. He described the facility as a strategic hub for equipping beneficiaries with technical knowledge and practical skills in modern farming.
The centre, Utsev noted, is expected to serve as a breeding ground for a new generation of agripreneurs capable of adopting innovative technologies, driving productivity and contributing to inclusive economic growth, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“By empowering our youth and women with practical agricultural skills, we are creating jobs, promoting self-reliance and stimulating sustainable development,” he said, adding that investment in human capital remains critical to long-term national prosperity.
In his remarks, the HJRBDA Managing Director, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the minister for their support, noting that the initiatives would strengthen food sufficiency and agricultural production nationwide. He congratulated graduating trainees and urged them to apply their skills to become self-sufficient.
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The beneficiaries received training in drip irrigation, hydroponics, greenhouse technology and the “Every Home a Garden” initiative, aimed at driving modern agricultural practices at the community level.
The events were attended by senior ministry officials, traditional leaders, youths, women and farmers from the host communities. According to a statement signed by Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan, Director of Information and Public Relations, the projects reflect the Federal Government’s integrated approach to water resource development, agriculture and empowerment.
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