Kano River Project is a modern integrated agricultural land use development in Northern Nigeria. River Kano also locally called Kogin Kano. The project is a large scale irrigation project developed under the authority of Hadejia-Juma’are River Basin Development Authority.

Environment and historical development

The idea of the project might have started in the 1960s following extensive land use surveys and technical assistance by the British Overseas Development Authority (ODA) and USAID. The principal engineering partners of KRP is Netherlands Engineering and Construction Company (NEDECCO). The project started in earnest after the Nigerian civil war in the late 1960s. Kano River Project (KRP) covers an extensive floodplain covering

River Kano A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

River Challawa A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

and their convergence through the Hadejia and Jama'are Rivers. The floodplains of these were only locally tapped unless the development of the KRP. The construction of the Tiga and Challawa Gorge dams upstream was the backbone of KRP a development that stalled flooding. The maximum extent of flooding has declined from 300,000 ha in the 1960s to around 70,000 to 100,000 ha. The Federal Government of Nigeria took over the custody of KRP through the

Hadejia Jamaare River Basin Development Authority Haɗejiya (also Haɗeja, previously Biram) is a Hausa town in eastern Jigawa State, northern Nigeria. The population was approximately 105,628 in 2006. Hadejia lies between latitude 12.4506N and longitude 10.0404E. It shared boundary with Kiri K ...

Economic values

KRP is meant to be a large scale agricultural project with focus on irrigation. This major irrigation scheme is planned to cover 66,000 ha. KRP is sub divided into categories, for now only 22,000 ha or KRP 1 is being developed. The project is dependent on

Tiga Dam The Tiga Dam is in Kano State in the Northwest of Nigeria, constructed in 1971–1974. It is a major reservoir on the Kano River, the main tributary of the Hadejia River. Description The dam was built during the administration of Governor Aud ...

Bagauda Dam Daud Dan Bawo, also known as Bagauda or Yakano, was the first King of Kano, reigning from 999 to 1063. He established a Dynasty which would go on to rule the state for over 800 years. According to the Kano Chronicle, all subsequent Kings and Sul ...

, and

Challawa Dam The Challawa Gorge Dam is in Karaye Local Government Area of Kano State in the Northwest of Nigeria, about 90 km southwest of Kano city. It is a major reservoir on the Challawa River, a tributary of the Kano River, which is the main tribut ...

and the floodplains around them. It is suggested that the net economic benefits of the floodplain (agriculture, fishing, fuelwood) were at least US$32 per 1000 m³ of water (at 1989 prices). UNEP finds that, the returns per crops grown in the Kano River Project were at most only US$1.73 per 1000 m³ and when the operational costs are included, the net benefits of the Project are reduced to US$0.04 per 1000 m³. The development of KRP has changed the economic conditions of many local people who are actively engaged in irrigation activities. Various cash crops are produced under the KRP irrigation projects. These include tomato, pepper, rice, wheat, corn, okro and many others grown for local consumption. The produce are mainly sent to local markets in Kano and to many places in southern Nigeria.

Challenges

KRP is challenged for causing landscape desiccation in the Lake Chad basin through impounding of water in dams. Release of water from dams also causes flooding downstream. KRP cannot be a success considering the fact that since its commencement in 1960s/1970s even the KRP 1 is yet to be fully developed. Another challenge is land tenure, the way and manner land is managed is not transparent. Management of water is also one of the challenges plaguing efficiency and sustainability of the KRP. Pollution is also a critical ecological challenge. The major source of pollution are agrochemical overdose and industrial effluents.

References

{{reflist Agriculture in Nigeria Irrigation projects