Abuja — The World Bank has approved a US$10 million grant for the Second National Fadama Development Critical Ecosystems for Nigeria.

The management project a project will contribute to the sustainable management of the productive capacity of Fadama lands through a community driven development approach in the country.

The grant which, is from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which was endorsed by the GEF Council in February 2006.

A statement from the World Bank yesterday said the proposed project is aimed at enhancing the productivity of Fadama areas as well as the human and community needs they support through sustainable land use and water management. It is also expected to help develop the capacity for sustainable

Natural resource management at national, state, local government, and community levels, and establish an integrated ecosystem management in selected watersheds, through sustainable management of key forest areas, buffer zones and wetlands, and improved water management.

According to Simeon Ehui, task Team Leader of the Project, "The GEF intervention will finance six of the 18 states participating in the project and target 15 to 20 percent of the overall project beneficiaries which is about 400,000 beneficiaries. By the end of the project at least 60 percent of the participating states would have established sustainable watershed management coordination capacity.