Israel to introduce water technology to Nigeria’s agric sector
By Steve Agbota
Israeli Government has concluded plans to introduce and support Nigeria’s agriculture sector with water management technology and research in order to develop agriculture produce in the country.
Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria, Nadav Goren who stated this while addressing Journalists in Abuja, said that the Israeli government had already made provisions to introduce Nigeria to its water technology to help reduce water scarcity as an impediment to the growth of the country’s agriculture sector.
According to him, successful researches have been applied in managing Israel’s scarce water resources, which would also be beneficial to Nigeria, especially in farming regions faced with inadequate water supply.
However, he commended the federal government’s emphasis on agriculture development, adding that there are many Israelis in Nigeria who manage companies that focus on agriculture, water management and security in contributing towards the pursuit of objectives for the sector.
He explained: “In September, we had a delegation of senior government officials from Nigeria attend the 2017 Water Technology and Environmental Control Exhibition and Conference (WATEC) in Israel.
“This water management technology goes hand in hand with our focus on the agricultural sector as water is fundamental for successful agriculture, which is something we have also been successful with and are proud of.”
Stakeholders said described the Isreali support as a welcome development and it would go a long way for the growth of the entire agriculture value chain in the country.
The stakeholders said that water management technology from Israeli government will help to solve part of the challenges irrigation system confronting farmers, mostly the dry season farmers who engage in rice and vegetables in the North where farmers are always bedeviled with the issue of water during the dry season farming.
They water management technology would create the potential for Nigeria to learn from Israel’s micro irrigation practice, horticulture, diary and fish production, mechanisation and sustainable land management.