Brief on the National Symposium

The National symposium is one of the side events at the 6^th Africa Regional Conference of the ICID. The theme of the symposium is “Participatory Irrigation Management for Sustainable Rural Development, Economic Growth and Food Security”.

Irrigation development and water management in Nigeria, like in other African countries is faced with multifaceted challenges due to changing climate and economic conditions. New approaches are being developed to bring about the much needed increase in productivity that would engender food security.

The National Symposium is aimed at showcasing the irrigation industry in  Nigeria by examining the country’s experiences and challenges in the design and implementation of the concept of participatory irrigation management, PIM, for sustainable rural development, economic growth and food security.  Presentations will juxtapose the achievements and challenges associated with the development of irrigation water resources management and regulatory policies, their governance, and implementation strategies in Nigeria. In particular, presentations would cover areas including:

1. 1. Lessons learnt from the World Bank sponsored Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project and its sustainability plans.
   2. The experiences and challenges of the River Basin Development Authorities, RBDAs – the public sector organizations responsible for operation, management and maintenance of public irrigation schemes in Nigeria.
   3. Successes and challenges in establishing and operating Water Users Associations, WUAs, in the public sector irrigation schemes, as key to the operationalization of PIM in
   4. Private sector participation in the provision of large irrigation infrastructure, irrigation management and equipment manufacturing and marketing.
   5. A special feature on Nigeria’s First Lady pet project, tagged: “Every Home a Garden Project” that focuses on women in agriculture for food security.
   6. Education and training for capacity building of water resources management personnel.

The symposium promises to provide participants with the opportunity to understand the progress made and the challenges constraining the country’s efforts in achieving food security and related SDGs.