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Climate change: ACReSAL tasks Nasarawa communities to cultivate habit of sustainable environmental management

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By Muhammed Ogwu, Lafia

Stakeholders have converged on Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State, to develop twenty strategic management plans for the implementation of the Accelerating Climate Resilience for Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihoods, (ACReSAL) project in North Central Nigeria.

The two-day engagement session took place in Lafia the Nasarawa state capital.

The engagement which focuses on creating strategic catchment plans for riparian-wetland zones throughout Northern Nigeria, attracted a wide range of participants from various central states, including Taraba, all aimed at collaboratively addressing conservation goals in the region.

The National Project Coordinator for ACReSAL, Abdul Hamid Umar represented by the State Coordinator Dr. Napoleon Gyobe, while speaking at the two day engagement session, stated that the engagement would focus on interacting with stakeholders in the Shemankar Katsina-Ala and Wase-Taraba catchment’s covering Plateau, Benue, Taraba, and Nasarawa States.

He, however, appreciated the lender the World Bank for their guidance in implementing the use of the fund, applauding the Federal Government of Nigeria, through Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal Ministry of Finance for conceptualizing the ACRESAL Project and the funding process.

His words, “ACRESAL Project Development Objective (PDO) is to increase the implementation of sustainable landscape management praction in targeted watersheds in Northem Nigena and to strengthen Nigeria’s long-term enabling environment for integrated climate-resilient landscape management. This PDO thereby implies that ACRESAL’s activities and successes are hinged on making the beneficiaries cultivate the habit and consciousness of sustainable environmental management and practices

Catchment Management plans will enable the integration of social and economic needs with natural ecosystems and the long-term use of natural resources. It will elaborately and comprehensively bring out the structures and mechanisms for environmental cooperation and coordination as well as the development of social commitment and cohesion.”

Umar, therefore, noted that the catchment management plans targeted to integrate socio-economic needs with the preservation of natural ecosystems, ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources for the long term.

Earlier, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Yakubu Kwanta, explained that the strategic management plans are crucial for the successful execution of the ACReSAL project across the nineteen northern states, reiterating state government commitment to the initiative, citing the transformation of the Marhai Forest in Farin Ruwa Development Area into a national park as a significant step in that direction.

Our correspondent reports that experts at the event, including Chuka Offodile, Managing Director of Mecor Geology and Engineering Services, and Ibeneme Sylvester, a Geographic Information System Specialist with ACReSAL, stressed that stakeholders contributions are vital for addressing challenges and identifying solutions for a sustainable environment.

Messages of goodwill were also delivered by representatives from various Federal Ministries, including the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture and Food Security, and Water Resources, along with other key agencies, underscoring a united commitment to environmental sustainability.

It would be recalled that the World Bank, through Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL), had recently disbursed $250,000 revolving loan to 10 vulnerable communities in Doma and Toto Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State.

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