The International Water Management Institute, IWMI, has called on Nigerian farmers to embrace technology-driven irrigation methods to enhance food security.
IWMI Director General, Mark Smith, made the appeal during the 6th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage in Abuja.
Smith emphasized the need to connect farmers with critical resources, including agricultural information, technology, equipment, and financing, to support necessary investments.
He also stressed the importance of providing farmers with efficient irrigation systems to boost productivity while ensuring access to reliable markets.
The Director General urged African farmers and governments to leverage floodwater management for irrigation, transforming a recurring challenge into a valuable resource for increasing crop yields.
He noted that farmers can adopt several strategies to manage floodwater effectively, such as constructing small-scale rainwater harvesting systems and utilizing excess water to recharge groundwater supplies for later irrigation use.
On a broader scale, Smith noted the importance of developing large-scale water storage infrastructure and preserving natural wetland reservoirs that release water gradually.
On IWMI’s most impactful initiatives, Senior Researcher and Ghana Deputy Country Representative, Sander Zwart, highlighted digital innovation as a key driver of change.
However, Zwart acknowledged the challenge of reaching millions of farmers with these solutions, suggesting partnerships with extension services and private-sector collaborators.
He cited the IRRILine service, developed with Farmerline in Ghana, as a standout innovation.
This digital platform allows smallholder farmers to access irrigation advice via helpline, guiding them on suitable technologies, weather patterns, and agronomic inputs while linking them to output markets.
According to Zwart, this holistic approach minimizes investment risks and ensures sustainable success.
Another IWMI researcher, Dr. Moctar Dembele, shared insights from a recent training session at a farm settlement along the Keffi-Abuja road.
During the event, young professionals were introduced to smart irrigation technologies, including the Vegetable Irrigation for Climate Resilience Toolkit, which helps assess land and water sustainability while identifying optimal irrigation methods.
Dembele stressed that such capacity-building initiatives are central to IWMI’s mission, equipping emerging farmers with practical tools to enhance productivity.
The conference reinforced IWMI’s conviction that strategic floodwater management, climate-smart irrigation, and farmer education can mitigate climate change impacts, boost agricultural output, and ultimately strengthen food security across Africa.
