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Tag: Desert encroachment

  • Training people to combat desertification in Nigeria

    Training people to combat desertification in Nigeria

    The Sahara desert is moving towards the South at the rate of about 0.6 kilometres per year. The result is that many lands that were formally good for planting and supporting diverse forms of agricultural and food production activities can no longer continue such support. 

    Nigeria is sorely affected by this losing about 35000 hectares of land annually in states to the north of the country like Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara.

    One of the efforts by governments to beat the rapid desertification and also boost food security while supporting the mist affected communities’ adaptation to climate change is the Great Green Wall. 

    Recently, the government of Nigeria reiterated its commitment to tackle desert encroachment in the country during the official flag-off of training for youths and women on various skills, under the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.

    Read also: Gombe losing 600m of land to desert encroachment annually, says GGP

    At the event which took place in Kano, the Minister of Environment, Mohammad Mahmud said his ministry is working towards ensuring that desert encroachment is completely addressed.

    Read also: How Gombe combats erosion, ecological problems through tree planting

    Mahmud noted that the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (GGW) is a collaboration of eleven African countries aimed at planting enough trees to curtail desert encroachment.

    He added that part of GGW activities includes youth empowerment, which is aimed at improving the livelihood of the people.

    According to the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Garba Saleh the state is working on  distributing two million tree-seedlings to farmers and households in the state to plant as their own contribution to the fight against desertification.

  • Climate change, root of crisis in Northeast – Environmentalists

    Climate change, root of crisis in Northeast – Environmentalists

    Coalitions of environmentalists have asked the Federal Government to address the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation in the country, noting that these are the source of humanitarian crises in the North-East and other parts of the country.

    The Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Civil Society Network for the Lake Chad Basin in the North East Nigeria, the Humanitarian Forum, UK with the support of the International Islamic Charity Organisation made the call at a two-day workshop in Abuja, themed, ‘Resilience agenda: Natural disasters and climate change – How are we managing risks and crises differently in North-East Nigeria?’

    Along with about 20 civil society organisations from the six states in North-Nigeria, representatives of government agencies, UN agencies, international NGOs and security agencies, the gathering examined climate change as a risk factor for disaster.

    The Director General of NCF, Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano said climate change and forms of environmental degradation were at the root of the humanitarian crises in the North-East such as shrinking of the Lake Chad, drought and desertification, deforestation and land degradation.

    Along with about 20 civil society organisations from the six states in North-Nigeria, representatives of government agencies, UN agencies, international NGOs and security agencies, the gathering examined climate change as a risk factor for disaster

    The President of Civil Society Network for the Lake Chad Basin, Ambassador Shehu Ahmed, emphasised the need for the Federal Government, international organisations and corporate citizens to rise up to help.

    “Disasters and climate change impact on lives, livelihoods and economic development. People living in poor and developing countries bear the highest risk for disaster,” Ahmed said.

    “Impacts of disasters and climate change set back and undermine development efforts. Climate change is causing an increase in frequency and intensity of certain weather-related disaster events. These are some of the reasons we should take action immediately.”

    He stated that disasters and climate change could impact on lives, livelihoods and economic development, adding that people living in poor and developing countries were bearing the highest risk of disasters.

    The Country Director of IICO, Abdulwasea Adesina, also made an appeal to the participants not to end the discussion at the workshop but implement all the proposals from different relevant quarters.

  • Gombe tackles desertification with 3G tree planting initiative

    Gombe tackles desertification with 3G tree planting initiative

    Volunteers in Gombe State on Wednesday began the planting of four million trees throughout the state to mitigate the menace of desertification.

    The initiative tagged ‘Gombe Goes Green, 3G initiative’ was flagged of by the state governor, Inuwa Yahaya.

    The governor noted at the flag off in Dukku Local Government Area of the state that over 86, 000 tree seedlings had been planted in nine local government areas and several nurseries established in various communities.

    He said deforestation, poor land use and other human activities were some of the major causes of flooding and erosion, which according to him, result in the destruction of agricultural lands, lives and properties of Gombe people.

    He stated that the project demonstrated his administration’s commitment to addressing the myriad environmental challenges affecting the State.

    “ Through 3G, we will continue to take necessary measures aimed at increasing the adaptive capacity toward reducing the negative impact of flood and erosion on the populace.

    “ There will be awareness creation and sensitisation geared toward attitudinal change in relating with the environment; establishment of shelter belt, woodlots and cover crops to reduce impact of water runoff and loss of the top soil.

    “Also, there will be campaign on reduction of drainage blockages; proper layout and planning of settlement that allows free flow of water along water ways; and construction of drainage.

    “These efforts would help reduce vulnerability to these occurrences, ensure sustained food production and improve the socio-economic wellbeing of the people of Gombe State in the face of unceasing flood and erosion menace.

    The governor emphasised that it was an obligation for everyone to give priority attention to, if we must halt desert encroachment and other environmental challenges facing us.

    While acknowledging poverty as major reasons for environmental degradation, especially desertification which is largely caused by indiscriminate cutting of trees for firewood, he assured the people of assistance in that regard.

    “We are already making concerted effort in seeking partnership with international donor agencies to provide affordable, alternative low energy cooking facilities that would reduce the pressure on our forest,” he said.

    He added that the state government had recently paid N500 million as counterpart contribution to the World Bank to access funds for the gully erosions in two sites within Gombe Township.

    He called on community leaders and individuals to support the Project in fighting the menace of desert encroachment and erosion by protecting the trees planted as well as planting more at every available space in their environment.

    On his part, Alhaji Abdulkadir Rashid II, Emir of Dukku, thanked Gov. Yahaya and pledged his commitment towards ensuring the success of the project in his domain.

  • Gombe losing 600m of land to desert encroachment annually, says GGP

    Gombe losing 600m of land to desert encroachment annually, says GGP

    The Gombe State Greener Project (GGP) has called for urgent action as the the rate of desert encroachment in the state hits 600 metres per annum.

    Acting Coordinator of GGP, Muhammad Tasiu made the call recently, warning that the phenomenon is degrading lands in the northern parts of the state.

    He noted that the menace prompted the establishment of the GGP, which is aimed at planting one million trees every year.

    “Our target is to plant four million trees in four years of this administration,” Taisu said.

    He explained the project is a mechanism the state government is putting in place to arrest the menace, which has claimed over 12 kilometres of land across the state in the last two decayed.

    “The environmental challenges in Gombe State is not limited to desertification. We are also prone to erosion problem, especially in the Gombe metropolis where we have severe gully erosion, the planting of more trees could also arrest the situation,” the Acting coordinator said.

    He added that about 11 non-governmental organisations had been engaged for the smooth running of the GGP which is in four sections.

    “The first component of the project is to plant trees in residential areas and in public places as well as in schools and to sensitise residents on the need and benefit of tree planting. It will also encourage planting of trees in our places of worship,” he pointed out.

    He noted that the project has creation of shelter belt in four local government areas in the northern part of the state.

    “We are working on the modalities of establishing the shelter belt which would arrest the issue of desert encroachment in the north,” he said.

    On the sustainability of the trees when planted, Muhammad explained that the project had entered into agreement with the Youth Empowerment and Social Support Operation (YESSO).

    ‘‘YESSO, a World Bank-assisted project in Gombe State will employ 27,000 youths that will watch over the trees and make sure they survive and grow. They will be paid N7, 500 every month’’ he said.

    He said another dimension of the project is how to address the issue indiscriminate felling of trees in the state.

    He lamented that on average, about 1000 trees are felled by firewood sellers’ everyday in Gombe State “and they don’t plant any tree. That is also a major challenge that the government want to look into.”

    The government official said the project would be flagged off by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya within the second week of August and those sites for the pilot project have been identified.