- Governor Zulum calls on the Federal Government to address the impact of erratic rainfall on farming and repair flood-damaged infrastructure
- He emphasizes the need for collaboration among states and focuses on irrigation farming to mitigate low rainfall’s impact on crop cultivation
Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, chairman of the North-East Governors Forum, has urged the Federal Government and his counterparts to address this year’s flood situation based on reports from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET).
The weather service had predicted that certain states would experience days of rain, which would be unfavourable for farmers. Zulum commented on the situation, stating that the current erratic rainfall would impact farming in the region.
Zulum made the remarks during the 8th meeting of the governor’s forum, held on Saturday at the Government House in Maiduguri. He said the meeting’s goal was to find solutions to insecurity, agriculture, and other issues affecting the region.
He claimed that last year’s devastating floods had harmed seasonal farming and damaged a large portion of the sub-region’s road infrastructure.
This year, the erratic rainfall currently being experienced could adversely affect this year’s farming yield. May I, therefore, call upon the Federal Government to take immediate measures to address this critical infrastructure destroyed by the floods, he said.
Zulum urged his colleagues to collaborate and develop new adaptable farming methods to mitigate the impact of this farming season’s low rainfall on crop cultivation.
As a result, we need to focus more on irrigation farming this time than ever before, he said.
Zulum stated that while each state in the sub-region had taken various measures to repair flood damage, the magnitude was so great that they requested Federal Government intervention.
He also urged the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to focus on irrigation farming in the sub-region in addition to its primary mandate of providing critical infrastructure for the sub-region’s sustainable development.
Governors in attendance include Yobe’s Mai Mala Buni, Adamawa’s Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Bauchi’s Bala Mohammed, and the deputy governors of Gombe and Taraba.