The environmentalists said Nigeria's 11 frontline states affected by land degradation and desertification "constitute about 35 per cent of Nigeria's total land area."
Environmentalists suggest ways to tackle land degradation, desertification in Nigeria's 11 frontline states
Some environmentalists, worried by land degradation and desertification affecting 11 states in Northern Nigeria, have suggested some solutions, including increased funding and transparency in the use of the funds allocated to tackle the problem.
Some of the suggested solutions also include tree-planting initiatives to replenish the biodiversity of the areas, collaboration among relevant civil society organisations, and raising more awareness about climate change.
The 11 frontline states affected by the land degradation and desertification problem are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Environmentalists, in seeking solutions, said the problem has had huge adverse effects on humans, farmland, water and food supply, as it has also destroyed animals, plants, and birds, especially in the frontline states.
They spoke at a consultative forum on the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI) held in Abuja on Wednesday. It was organised by a non-governmental organisation, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), in collaboration with Transparency International (TI). CISLAC is the Nigerian partner of TI, a global body concerned with ending injustice of corruption.
Launched in 2007 by the African Union, the Great Green Wall initiative (GGWI) aims to restore the continent's degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives in the Sahel.
The project is being implemented across 22 African countries, aiming to revatalise thousands of communities across the continent.
African countries and international partners came together under the leadership of the African Union Commission and the Pan-African Agency of the Great Green.
More than $8 billion has been raised and pledged to support the initiative, according to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), according to the website dedicated to the international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.
Funds monitoring
Senior Legal Officer of CISLAC, Bathsheba Tagwai, said her organisation is commiitted to scrutinising the transparent and judicious use of allocated funds in light of the climate change risks plaguing these regions.
She also said CISLAC would ensure effective ecosystem management and restoration by, including, safeguarding the nation's natural assets, facilitating sustainable land resource development, and fortifying the country's ecosystem against the adversities of climate change.
According to her the 11 frontline states affected by the problem "constitute about 35 per cent of Nigeria's total land area."
"We are going to monitor allotted funds because this has been affecting Nigeria's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG16) and not just humans, but also farmland, water, and food supply," she said.
Ms Tagwai emphasised the urgent need to address the climate crisis.
She added that key environmental factors such as deforestation, heat waves, drought, and industrial pollution were significant contributors to the diverse effects of climate change, which directly and indirectly impact millions of Nigerians adversely.
"Nigeria is currently experiencing adverse effects of climate change caused by key environmental issues. Northern Nigeria is experiencing heat waves, deforestation, and lengthier and more erratic rainfall," she stressed.
According to her, CISLAC has embarked on monitoring activities within the framework of the Great Green Wall Initiative, a commitment aligned with Nigeria's endorsement of the Pan Africa Great Green Wall (PAGGW).
Ms Tagwai noted that CISLAC intends to raise awareness regarding climate change and scrutinise the allocation and utilisation of climate funds.
Replenishing biodiversity, other solutions
The representative of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (GGWI), Alice Nkanu, said there was the need to replenish and enrich biodiversity in the 11 tree states through tree-planting initiatives.
She said the GGWI has made efforts to reclaim degradable land, transform it into arable terrain, and nurture a diverse array of tree seedlings within the belt, thereby halting the indiscriminate felling of trees and promoting community engagement in afforestation efforts.
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Ms Nkanu said the initiatives have resulted in the recovery of over 2,240 hectares of degraded land.
She said they also led to the establishment of essential infrastructure such as motorised boreholes and solar-powered orchards for local communities.
She advocated increased partnerships and support to overcome these challenges and safeguard the environment for future generations.
Kolawole Afolabi, representing the Ecological Projects Office, urged GGWI to allocate resources towards community sensitisation efforts to foster ownership and sustainability.
Meanwhile, Adesuwa Illuobe of ActionAid Nigeria, expressed solidarity with GGWI's objectives and proposed collaborative partnerships with civil societies to address funding gaps and bolster support in critical areas.
Panellists at the workshop included Ifunanya Okeke from Community Engagement (CODE), Alice Nkanu from the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (GGWI), Kolawole Afolabi from the Ecological Projects Office, Adesuwa Illuobe from ActionAid Nigeria. Premium Times journalist, Abdulkareem Mojeed, was the moderator of the discussions.
