Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has urged the people of the state to adopt water-conscious practices, choose local and fresh foods, reduce food and water wastage, and find safe ways to reuse water while preventing pollution.
He said this to mark World Food Day 2023 with the theme ‘Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind’.
“There are plans for massive agricultural improvement, innovation, and sustainability while improving market access. We are dedicated to addressing the challenge of producing more with less water, ensuring equitable water distribution, preserving aquatic food systems, and leaving no one behind.
“On World Food Day, we pay tribute to our food heroes – our farmers. Their dedication and resilience, despite numerous challenges, are commendable. They are the backbone of our food security, providing sustenance and supporting our local and national economies,” he said in a statement by Muhammad Lawal Shehu, his Chief Press Secretary, on Monday.
He said efforts had been made to ensure the sustainability of Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, and continuous training and retraining programmes for local area mechanics have equipped them with the skills to repair broken-down boreholes in communities.
He stated that it has resulted in the rehabilitation of numerous boreholes, benefitting thousands in the rural communities in the state.
The Governor noted that water pollution has far-reaching impacts on the food, environment, economy, and health, stressing that it is why the state government is in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and recently constructed ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines and hand wash stations across the State as well as undertaken borehole construction and rehabilitation projects.
He assured that the Kaduna State Government is committed to attaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by 2024, one year before the national deadline, pointing out that in August 2023, seven local government areas had been declared free of open defecation by UNICEF.
The Kaduna State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (KADRUWASSA), he explained, is implementing programmes like the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) to provide WASH services in the state.
The governor stated that the administration is committed to providing communities, especially the rural areas, with access to clean water and food.
