Sustainable Cost Recovery in Kano River Irrigation Project, Nigeria

Irrigation is a driver for sustaining food security in northern Nigeria. It provides food, employment,income and means of livelihood.This is essentially due to the scanty rainfall in the region coupled with the periodic droughts experienced. Consequently the then governments established irrigation projects for the efficient use of the scarce water resources.Thus the Kano River irrigation Project was constructed on the Hadejia -Jamaare River in 1976.Since then the project was functional, however, with increase in population, industries,domestic and urban water uses made water resources for agriculture on decline. This spurred use of the project facilities to meet the demand for food production, which in turn calls for more efficient utilization of the available structures, high maintenance and operation cost, however, funding was inadequate by the government which led to poor management ,decline productivity of the project, deterioration of structures etc. To salvage the situation an alternative method for financing it's activities was imperative to guaranty survival.In the light of these,the research advanced cost recovery method as sustainable to farmer,management and Government.