The European Union (EU), the African, Carribean, Pacific (ACP) states and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have inaugurated a 41 million euros Action Against Desertification in Africa.
The plan is aimed at combating desertification in six African countries, namely: Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Gambia, and Ethiopia.
Speaking at a three day West Africa Regional Great Green Wall Technical workshop on restoration in Abuja on Tuesday, the FAO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Louise Setshwaelo, said that the project was aimed at restoring degraded land in Africa.
Setshwaelo, who was represented by Dr Rabe Mani, the Assistant FAO Representative in Nigeria, said that the programme, was also aimed at turning degraded lands into productive lands to reduce poverty, ensure food security and mitigating the effects of climate change in Africa.
“The project `Action Against Desertification’ is contributing to the implementation of the Great Green Wall National Action plan in six countries – plans that were developed with the support of the EU, African Union Commission, FAO and the Global mechanism of the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification).
“The project is about up-scaling good agricultural, farming, livestock, agro-forestry and forestry practices through better cooperation among stakeholders with communities at the heart to the action.
“It focuses on conservation interventions, capacity development at (the) local, national, regional, and inter-regional levels, raising awareness, and communication.’’
In an address of welcome, the Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibril, called for community participation in the implementation of the programme.
He assured that the Federal Government would continue to involve local communities in all intervention programmes.
Jibril expressed regret that out of the 22,000 square km of water in Lake Chad, about 20,000 square km had dried up.
He called on all stakeholders in the environment sector to assist the agency responsible for the Great Green Wall project in achieving its mandate.
“Most of the West African countries have a common problem as far as desertification is concerned; but Nigeria, being the biggest country in this region (and with) the largest population, has even greater problems.
“Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure that we set the pace and lead in such a way that all of us in the West African sub-region will stand to benefit from this programme.’’
Dr Ahmed Goni, the Director General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), said that the workshop was a follow-up to the just concluded climate change conference in Paris.
According to him, the programme will be implemented in the 11 frontline states of Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara, which are affected by desertification.
“This is a follow-up to the climate change conference that took place in Paris.
“We are going to develop a skill acquisition centre, where we are now going to interact, find out from them what their own expectation is, (and) what they want government to come in and do.
“After getting some information from them, we (will) design a training programme that will now empower them to understand the implications of where they are living and how they will improve their environment for the betterment of their own livelihood.’’
Also speaking, Mr Moussa Leko, the Principal Programme Officer (Forestry), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said that the sub-regional body was committed to developing strategies to fight desertification in the region.
He said that ECOWAS had also developed a forestry conservation management and afforestation programme to fight climate change in the region.
Representatives from Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Gambia, and Ethiopia attended the workshop. (NAN)
