A geospatial Approach towards assessing current and potential irrigation farming patterns in Nigeria
Conference
10th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics
Format: CPS Paper - ICAS 2026
Keywords: farming, geospatial, irrigation
Abstract
Irrigation farming remains an indispensable for enabling year-round agriculture, which is crucial for enhancing productivity and boosting food security in Nigeria. However, the current state of irrigation remains underdeveloped and poorly quantified. Furthermore, assessing the full potential of deploying irrigation farming based on surface water has yet to be explored. The project seeks to adopt geospatial technologies in assessing the current state of irrigation farming and map potential sites for expansion. Specifically, the objectives are (i). Monitoring current irrigation farming areas in Nigeria(ii). Assess the potential of irrigation farming in Nigeria. (iii). Quantify the potential increase in crop production from improved irrigation farming in Nigeria. The findings show an urgent need for irrigation farming, with Nigeria utilising less than 15% of its irrigation farming potential. The study also provides empirical evidence to show that increased irrigation farming can lead to all year farming, particularly in Northern Nigeria and can significantly boost the production of staple food crops in Nigeria. In doing so, Nigeria can align itself with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 – zero hunger by 2030.