The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes project, has announced a significant initiative to restore approximately one million hectares of degraded land in Northern Nigeria.
This ambitious plan was disclosed by the National Project Coordinator for ACReSAL, Mr. Abdulhamid Umar, during a stakeholders’ engagement workshop on the development of Strategic Catchment Management Plans for Wetland Zones in Northern Nigeria on Friday in Kano.
Umar explained that the workshop aimed to create a unified vision among stakeholders for an ideal riparian catchment.
He emphasized that this workshop marks the first time the Nigerian government is undertaking a catchment management plan of this scale.
The initiative is supported by the World Bank through the International Development Association.
“The engagement focuses on interacting with strategic stakeholders from Ngada West Chad, Yedseram-East Chad, Hadejia, and Katagun K-Gana catchments, which span across Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Kano States,” Umar noted.
He highlighted that the strategic plan will help ACReSAL achieve its Project Development Objective which includes sustainably restoring one million hectares of land to make them cultivatable, habitable, and usable for various purposes, whether commercial or domestic.
Umar also pointed out that ACReSAL aims to benefit 3.4 million direct beneficiaries, with nearly half of this number being women.
The catchment management plans will integrate social and economic needs with natural ecosystems and ensure the long-term use of natural resources. He elaborated that these plans would detail structures and mechanisms for environmental cooperation and social cohesion.
“Catchment management plans not only address what, when, and where of catchment management but also provide scientifically guided decisions regarding early strategies for preparing and averting potential environmental challenges,” Umar explained.
He emphasized that the development of 20 strategic catchment management plans is crucial for implementing the ACReSAL project and would have been beneficial if completed earlier.
These strategic plans will form the foundation for micro catchment management plans, aiming to enhance landscape management practices in targeted watersheds in Northern Nigeria.
The project also aims to strengthen Nigeria’s long-term framework for integrated climate-resilient landscape management.
The 20 strategic catchments are derived from Nigeria’s Hydrological Areas, specifically HA 1 to HA 8. ACReSAL’s activities primarily focus on five of these areas (HA 1-4 and 8), with some influence in the remaining three areas (HA 5, 6, and 7).
In a related development, Mr. Chuka Offodile, Managing Director of Mecon Geology and Engineering Services Ltd, assured attendees that his company would deliver high-quality data to guide both government and private entities interested in investments within the strategic catchment management plans.
Offodile stressed that the development of these plans would address critical issues related to food production and security, which remains a priority for the Federal Government.
He commended the collaborative efforts and stakeholder contributions that have led to the development of the plan, expressing appreciation for the support received.
Stakeholders present at the event praised the Federal Government’s efforts to make lands in the frontline states more productive and suitable for various uses, reflecting a broad consensus on the importance of the initiative.
