A two-day capacity-building training on modern irrigation farming techniques for Agricultural Extension Agents and Irrigation Officers has successfully concluded in Katsina State.
Hikaya Newspaper reports that the program was designed to strengthen food security, enhance productivity, and promote sustainable agricultural practices across the state.
The training, organized by the Katsina State Irrigation Development Authority (KTSIDA) in collaboration with the Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KTARDA) and MISBAH General Services, brought together participants drawn from all the 34 local government areas of the state. It aimed to equip them with updated knowledge and practical skills on modern irrigation methods, with the expectation that participants would replicate the knowledge gained to other officers and farmers in their respective communities.
Declaring the training closed on Friday, October 31, 2025, at the KTSIDA headquarters in Katsina, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Aliyu Lawal Zakari, represented by Engineer Shamsudden Sulaiman, commended the organizers for their efforts in improving agricultural capacity across the state. He urged participants to put into practice what they had learned, stressing that the Dikko Umar Radda-led administration remains committed to agricultural development, food sufficiency, and the empowerment of extension officers. He called for continued collaboration among stakeholders to achieve long-term progress in the sector.
In their separate remarks, the Managing Director of KTSIDA, Engineer Salim Isah, and the Managing Director of KTARDA, Alhaji Abubakar Dabo, described the training as timely and impactful. They noted that irrigation farming plays a critical role in ensuring year-round agricultural activities, boosting food production, and creating employment opportunities. The two managing directors reaffirmed their agencies’ commitment to supporting the state government’s vision of transforming agriculture through technology-driven and climate-smart practices.
The Managing Director of MISBAH General Services explained that the training combined theoretical and hands-on practical sessions to ensure that participants fully understood the techniques of modern irrigation. According to him, the second day of the training focused on field demonstrations, where participants practiced water management, efficient fertilizer application, and system maintenance. He noted that such practical exposure would enable participants to effectively implement what they learned in their communities.
At the end of the training, each participant received a certificate of participation and working equipment to support their fieldwork. Beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the organizers and the state government for the initiative, pledging to utilize the knowledge and tools provided to promote modern irrigation practices that would contribute to food security and agricultural growth across Katsina State.