World Bank-ACReSAL Nigeria recovers over 178,000 hectares of degraded land in 19 Northern states
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape Project (ACReSAL), a World Bank-supported initiative, has successfully recovered over 178,000 hectares of degraded land across 19 northern states affected by climate change.
Abdulhamid Umar, National Project Coordinator for ACReSAL, disclosed this while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a five-day retreat in Lagos. He said reclaiming 178,235 hectares out of the one million target for six years is a significant achievement toward restoring one million hectares of arable land in the region.
'This project, supported by the World Bank, addresses severe climate change challenges, particularly the encroaching Sahara Desert and land degradation in the 19 northern states. Our efforts aim to reverse land infertility caused by natural and human factors in a region with increasingly erratic rainfall,' Umar stated.
Umar elaborated on the broader impact of ACReSAL: 'Our interventions, including dryland management, community-driven climate resilience activities, and agricultural support, have led to bumper harvests and improved livelihoods for over one million direct beneficiaries in just three years, with over 10 million indirect beneficiaries.'
Looking ahead, Umar addressed project sustainability beyond its initial six-year funding cycle: 'Our strategy includes community ownership, establishing legal frameworks at the state level, and infrastructure development to ensure longevity.'
Dr. Joy Iganya Agene, Task Team Leader for ACReSAL and Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank, underscored the project's impact, stressing that ACReSAL represents a significant stride in Nigeria's efforts to build climate resilience and restore degraded landscapes. 'The progress made demonstrates the effectiveness of strategic planning and land preparation,' Dr. Agene explained, adding that ACReSAL is optimistic about achieving 60-70% recovery of the targeted one million hectares in the coming year.
Both Umar and Dr. Agene emphasised the strong commitment and collaboration from the federal government and state governors.
Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Dubai Eye
6 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
GCC policy dialogue to promote women's leadership in workforce
A policy dialogue on women's economic empowerment concluded in Dubai, with GCC countries backing efforts for joint legal reforms, childcare investment and enhanced knowledge exchange across institutions. Led by the UAE Gender Balance Council and the World Bank, the workshop brought together leaders from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to share strategies aimed at expanding women's participation in the workforce, particularly through support for childcare and maternity policies. The UAE emphasised its initiatives to enhance gender balance in the labour market, Saudi Arabia outlined advances in workforce participation and social insurance for women and Bahrain showcased national upskilling programs and empowerment strategies. A joint brief was presented to guide future cooperation, marking a key step toward building inclusive, opportunity-driven economies across the region. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said, 'Women's economic empowerment is not simply a policy objective, it is a force for transformation. It strengthens institutions, drives innovation and ensures that progress is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable." Mona Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, highlighted that "regional collaboration drives progress". "By uniting to promote gender balance, we amplify our collective impact and ensure that every woman in the GCC has the chance to contribute to shaping a more inclusive future," she added. Since its establishment in 2015, the Council has led policies, legal reforms and partnerships aimed at embedding gender balance across national institutions and economic systems.
Zawya
12 hours ago
- Zawya
Nigeria: How Gov Ododo is leveraging multilateral partnership to transform road infrastructure?
In a bold move to bridge the gaps in Kogi State's road infrastructure and position it as a model of sustainable development, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has embarked on an ambitious strategy of leveraging multilateral partnerships to revitalize rural access, enhance connectivity, reverse environmental degradation, and boost agricultural productivity anchored on local content. While the state government is currently working on over 400 kilometers of township roads, including roads in Omala, Idah, Bassa in Kogi East, Mopamuro, Egbe, Ijumu in Kogi West and Okene, Okehi, and Adavi in Kogi Central, there are currently over 200 kilometres of rural roads connecting about 50 communities across most of the agricultural belts in several local government areas in the state, largely enabled by multilateral partnerships and strategic interventions. Central to this vision of innovative multilateral partnerships is the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL), with its unprecedented erosion control projects at Etahi in Okene, Olubiojo in Ankpa, and Omigbo in Kabba, representing Kogi Central, East, and Western Senatorial zones, respectively, worth 29.9 Billion Naira. Equally pivotal is the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), which has already initiated construction of over 200 kilometres of rural access roads across the state. These initiatives, implemented in collaboration with multilateral organisations such as the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Federal Government of Nigeria, among other donor agencies, are closely aligned with Governor Ododo's campaign promises anchored on a commitment of not only transforming Kogi's physical landscape but at the same time breathing new life into its economy by boosting agricultural output and creating jobs. RAAMP, an initiative by the World Bank, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has emerged as a cornerstone of the administration's strategy to link rural and agricultural production communities with markets and essential services. In October 2024, Governor Ododo flagged off the construction of 65 kilometres of rural access roads connecting major agro-producing communities in Lokoja, Adavi and Okehi local government areas. Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at Apata, near Obajana, Governor Ododo emphasized that: 'These rural roads are not just transport links, they are lifelines that connect our traders, farmers, and communities, fostering economic growth and food security. By improving access, we are empowering farmers to compete in regional and national markets, thereby boosting incomes and reducing poverty.' The governor maintained that strategic connections to be enhanced by the project marked the beginning of a broader rural road network aimed at enhancing connectivity, lowering transportation costs for farmers, and improving access to markets. True to the governor's manifesto, which pledged to explore innovative financing models such as public-private partnerships for roads and other public infrastructure, the RAAMP initiative is a textbook example, blending international donor support with state-driven priorities to address critical infrastructure gaps in the state. While RAAMP tackles the rural connectivity challenge, ACReSAL focuses on another pressing concern: environmental degradation and the threat it poses to agricultural sustainability and peoples' wellbeing. In Etahi, Olubiojo, and Omigbo, years of unchecked seasonal erosion have carved deep gullies, devastating farmlands, and displacing communities. In response, the ongoing ACReSAL environmental remediation projects funded by its partners like the World Bank and implemented in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Environment aim to restore these landscapes through bioengineering and climate-resilient techniques. Governor Ododo harped on the significance of these projects when he noted: 'We are not only building roads and bridges; we are building trust, inclusion, and ownership by ensuring our people benefit directly from the process.' He further stated that the projects are not merely technical interventions but people-centered solutions designed for long-term impacts, as he stressed during the recent project inspection tour in Kogi Central, emphasizing that the administration has evolved a statewide scope of interventions. 'What we are doing in Kogi Central is also taking place in Kogi East and Kogi West. Our project monitoring teams are also conducting inspections in other parts of the state. We will continue to monitor, evaluate, and complete projects that matter to the people,' he said. A testament to all-inclusiveness in the development of road infrastructure in the state is visible in the several rural road projects by RAAMP including the 24.1KM Ilai-Ifeolukotun road in Yagba East local government; 19.55KM Aku-Uro-Obajana road, 6.59KM Osara-Atami road, 6.83KM Elubi-Etiaja-Ajakwu-Ulaja road in Dekina local government area, 4.13KM Odidoko-Ugbamaka-Ubojo-Oloyo-Emakpe road in Olamaboro local government area, 16.03KM Eganyi-FFN road in Ajaokuta local government area, 1.33KM EMMCO-Umuaga road in Okene local government area, 2.41KM Aku-UrukuOdoba road in Adavi local government area and the 18.95KM Ibado Akpacha-Ojiaji-Ogudu road in Omala local government area. These projects are serving as engines of economic empowerment, inclusion, and promoting local content in project delivery. Current data reveals that over 5,000 skilled and semi-skilled youths are employed across the state, from road construction sites in Obajana, Omala, and Aku to erosion control sites in Ankpa, Okene, and Kabba-Bunu. As Benjamin Oguche, a mason working on one of the ACReSAL project sites in Ankpa, shared:'I am working on the gully erosion control sites. They (the construction firm) taught us how to lay asphalt and use machinery. Now I can get similar jobs anywhere in the country.' The ripple effects are already apparent. In Etahi, ongoing construction of roads coupled with erosion control has revitalized community life almost overnight. In Olubiojo and Omigbo, ACReSAL's land restoration, now over 65% complete, has restored access to fertile lands previously lost to erosion, enabling a return to farming and food production. As these projects progress across the state, they herald a new era for Kogi. Upon completion, RAAMP's road networks will connect rural dwellers to schools, healthcare centres, and markets, while ACReSAL's restoration efforts, supported by over three billion Naira in community revolving loans as well as plans to plant trees for reforestation on 10,000 hectares of land in the state, will safeguard Kogi's agricultural productivity, the environment and the wellbeing of the people. Overall, Governor Ododo's administration is proving that strategic multilateral partnerships can turn campaign promises into tangible progress. By aligning international and national interventions with a clear, community-focused development agenda, he is not just bridging infrastructure gaps, he is building a new Kogi State where collective commitment to sustainability and shared prosperity become a reality for all.
Zawya
12 hours ago
- Zawya
Nigeria: Dangote blames shortage of domestic crude oil for reliance on imports from US
The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has blamed shortage of domestic crude oil for the major reason Dangote refinery increasingly relied on imports from the United States to meet its needs in recent months. Dangote stated this during the tour of the facility by the Technical Committee of the One-Stop Shop (OSS) for sale of crude and refined products in naira initiative. He applauded the technical committee for its role in supporting the implementation of President Tinubu's laudable Naira-for-Crude initiative. He also commended the positive impact of the naira-for-crude swap deal on the Nigerian economy, noting that it has led to a reduction in petroleum product prices, eased pressure on the dollar, and ensured the stability of the local currency, among others. However, he noted in a statement: 'Due to a shortage of domestic crude oil, the refinery has increasingly relied on imports from the United States to meet its needs in recent months.' He stressed the importance of bold investment in strategic sectors as a key to industrialisation, revealing that building the refinery required extensive infrastructure development, including a world-class, self-sufficient marine facility capable of accommodating the largest vessels globally. He assured the delegation of the refinery's commitment to national development. Designed to process a wide range of crude types, including African and Middle Eastern grades as well as US Light Tight Oil, the refinery has the capacity to meet 100 per cent of Nigeria's domestic demand for petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation jet fuel, with a surplus available for export. The $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals was described as 'a symbol of industrial revolution, driving Nigeria's economic emancipation' by the Technical Committee of the One-Stop Shop (OSS) for sale of crude and refined products in naira initiative during the tour of the facility on Tuesday. Coordinator of the OSS Technical Committee, Mrs Maureen Ogbonna, who led the delegation, described the refinery as a breath of fresh air, impacting virtually every sector of the economy. 'This refinery touches all our lives. There's scarcely any sector unaffected. From pharmaceuticals to construction, food to plastics, this project is transformational. God has used the President of the Dangote Group to liberate Nigeria. I see this as the beginning of an industrial revolution,' she said. Noting that, in line with President Bola Tinubu's vision of achieving full domestic sufficiency in petroleum products and positioning Nigeria as a major global exporter, the committee is committed to eliminating regulatory, operational and logistical barriers that hinder the smooth supply and sale of domestic crude oil and refined products in naira. Reflecting on the scale and sophistication of the facility, Ogbonna, who had visited during construction and more recently alongside the leadership of the Nigerian Ports Authority, expressed continued awe at its execution. 'It is truly mind-blowing that one man could envision and execute such a project. As we toured the refinery, we thought we had seen everything until we reached the laboratory. That lab alone is an institution. I don't know of any institution in Nigeria or even globally that boasts such a laboratory for petrochemical,' she said. Applauding the engineering feat, Ogbonna urged Dangote to remain focused and undeterred by detractors, emphasising that the project is a global achievement, not a personal enterprise. 'We feel truly honoured to have been warmly received by the President of the Dangote Group and his team. My advice to him is: do not be discouraged by critics. He was never self-centred. Despite the obstacles, he was driven by a vision for Nigeria's future, reaching far beyond Africa,' she added. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
