From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation is partnering with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to improve the quality of irrigation water in the country.
This collaboration was the focus of the Technical Committee on Water Quality meeting, held in Abuja, to develop the Nigerian Standard for Irrigation Water Quality.
The partnership aims to create and implement robust irrigation water quality standards that align with global best practices.
The Director of Irrigation and Drainage at the ministry, Mrs Oyeronke Oluniyi, described the initiative as crucial for enhancing agricultural productivity, ensuring food security, and advancing Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
She added that the partnership seeks to improve water quality, support farmers, and safeguard ecosystems.
“The ministry has been working to raise awareness about water quality by discouraging practices such as washing clothes in irrigation systems and open defecation.
“This is crucial because many food products are consumed raw and unprocessed, making it essential to ensure the availability of quality water for agricultural purposes,” Oluniyi stated.
She further explained that the ministry would transfer the project to SON while maintaining a supervisory role.
Earlier, the Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the ministry, Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh, emphasised that validating irrigation standards would help address key development challenges in Nigeria.
She said the ministry was committed to establishing irrigation standards to boost food security, nutrition, productivity, and socio-economic development.
“Since 2022, the committee has been critically reviewing the documents, aiming to develop irrigation water quality standards tailored to Nigeria’s needs for effective agricultural practices,” Ugoh noted.
She also stressed the need to address poor monitoring and evaluation and conduct regular reviews for sustainable progress.
On his part, the Director General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, announced the release of two key documents to enhance national standardisation.
“These are the *Principles and Procedures for the Development of the Nigerian National Standards (PPDNNS)* and the *Nigerian National Standardisation Strategy (NNSS)*.
“These documents provide guidelines aligned with international best practices, with the NNSS outlining a four-year plan to address Nigeria’s environmental and socio-economic priorities,” Okeke said.
He noted the importance of forming a National Technical Committee for implementing these standards and urged effective discussions to finalise the draft.
“Water is vital for agriculture, directly impacting crop yield, soil health, and food security.
“With challenges like climate change and population growth, improving water management, especially in irrigation, is essential,” he added.
Okeke emphasised that developing a Nigerian Standard for Irrigation Water Quality was crucial to protect crops from harmful contaminants, which pose threats to public health and economic growth.
He stated that these efforts align with Nigeria’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and encouraged participants to contribute their expertise to develop a sustainable irrigation water safety framework.
He also acknowledged the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation’s support in advancing the project.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Standard for Irrigation Water Quality outlines the quality requirements, classification, and test methods for irrigation water in Nigeria.
The Standard applies to any water used for irrigation purposes, regardless of its source.