Sokoto Rima River Basin Authority Plans to Irrigate 5000 Hectares of Farmlands Using Goronyo Dam
This is part of the plans of the Managing Director of the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA) Alhaji Abubakar Malam aimed at restoring the past glory of all irrigation projects on the Rima Basin.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the public affairs department of the authority said the managing director and his team intends to widen “the scope of irrigation activities for improved food production, value addition and job creation”.
The River Basin which covers Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi states, according to the management plans, aims to irrigate approximately 5,000 hectares of farmlands in the interim, using water from the Goronyo Dam.
The Goronyo Dam, a key structure for the project’s water resources and agricultural development was conceived and built in the Second Republic.
It was aimed harnessing the agricultural potential of the Rima River Valley.
Goronyo Dam, built across the Rima River, stores 942 million cubic meters of water and is designed to irrigate areas from Goronyo in Sokoto State to Argungu, Augie, Birnin Kebbi, Bunza and Bagudo in Kebbi State covering over 17,000 hectares.
Best known as Middle Rima Valley Irrigation Scheme (MRVIS) it is an irrigation project situated in Sokoto State, and managed by the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA).
It was initially designed to empower thousands of farmers, notably among youths and women groups involved in various value chain farming activities as well as in rice, onions and garlic commodities marketing.