Hassan a Karofi
24 December 2008
The Kano State Ministry of Environment in conjunction with the state afforestation project, KNAP, is organizing a two-day training workshop for farmers in the state on new techniques of fighting desertification through effective tree planting campaign.
Declaring the workshop open in Kano yesterday, the commissioner of environment, Alhaji Abubakar Garba Yusuf, said the growing approach of desertification in the state has been aided by inadequate tree planting, adding that this has affected food shortages and availability of economic trees.
He disclosed that over 40 kilometers of shelter belt were developed along Dumbuwa, Zakiran Kafi, Dawakin Tofa and Tsanyawa areas of the state.
The commissioner also disclosed that government has set up 20 hectares of afforestation in Gafam as well as additional 20 hectares of gum Arabic farm as a way of arresting the fast approaching desertification in the state.
Yusuf said although government is not advocating total stoppage of tree felling as such will not be feasible, it is however necessary for people to learn planting new ones so as to keep the environment safe from the resultant consequences of desertification.
"The encroaching desertification has led to food shortages, destruction of farmlands, poor animal feeds, degrading land and general economic melt down", he said.
The commissioner said it is in view of this that the state government viewed the necessity of training farmers on new techniques of tree planting as without the full participation of farmers, no credible attempt at arresting desertification could be possible.
He said in 2008 over 1,960 farmers were registered as advocates of tree planting with over 2.6 seedlings distributed for planting in the state.
He also said government has also introduced school tree planting clubs as well as women tree planting groups to support the initiative and popularize the tree planting campaign in the state.
In his address at the occasion, the head of the Kano State afforestation project, Alhaji Maitama Dambatta, said the workshop is aimed at educating farmers on the need for them to participate in tree planting as means of preventing the encroaching desertification in the state.
He said government is determined to provide effective tree planting strategies as means of enhancing the forest reserves n the state, adding that farmers in the state would be adequately trained on modern synergies between farming and tree planting.
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