Environment

Fighting Desertification Via Date Palm Cultivation

Published

13 years ago

June 5, 2013

Dr Newton Jibunoh, the founder of Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE), once said that by 2015, some of the northern parts of Nigeria would become a desert, judging by the rate of desert encroachment in the country.

Several environmentalists have a similar viewpoint, stressing that at the current rate of desertification, a large percentage of arable lands in the northern parts of Nigeria would become arid and uncultivable, thereby threatening the country’s food security.

They emphasise that although the current tree planting campaign across the country is a panacea to the emerging environmental menace, the inclusion of date palm trees in the exercise will definitely produce more useful results.

Corroborating such claims, agricultural experts say that since date palm trees naturally thrive in the desert environment, they could effectively be used to curb desertification in the country, while serving as cash crop.

The agriculturists also insist that it is economically viable to plant trees which boost economic potential of the region, adding that the area’s farmers could earn some income from such tree-planting ventures.

Sharing similar sentiments, Mr Chukwuemeka Eke, a researcher in Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), said that date palm cultivation was a potent way to rein in desertification in desert-prone areas.

“The United Arab Emirates (Dubai) situation could be used to illustrate the benefits of date palm. In the Emirates, date palm cultivation was carried out with the aid of biotechnology to produce plantations that were used to eliminate desertification in the country.

“They have been able to transform almost all their desert into a very fruitful place; their strategy is to plant cultured date palm trees and initiate irrigation measures.

“If the Federal Government steps in and does the same thing, you would be surprised at the level of transformation that would come to our desert areas or regions facing desert encroachment.

“The support of government in this form of project is imperative because it involves not just planting crops in the desert land but it also entails some irrigation facilities,’’ he said.

Eke noted that date palm as a plant had a life span of more than 30 to 40 years with sustained reproduction, adding that date palm, which was mostly cultivated for its edible fruit, could grow up to between 70 and 75 feet in height, singly or in a clump.

He stressed that with biotechnology applications, date palm trees could be multiplied in its millions via the tissue culture; a collection of techniques used to maintain and grow plant cells.

“Cultivating this excellent crop is profitable and it will remove a lot of families from poverty and improve the livelihood of small-scale farmers in Nigeria.

“The crop will provide food and raw materials for domestic use, such as livestock supplements.

“It also has a lot of industrial potential for production of syrups, jam, ice cream, baby foods, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks,’’ he added.

Eke argued that date palm plantations could be a veritable source of livelihood for many people living in remote areas, while providing jobs for a considerable number of people in the rural areas.

He stressed that date palm cultivation was now less demanding, as NIFOR had be able to identify some date palm species which could mature within two years, as against the normal seven to 15 years.

He, nonetheless, conceded that the country’s date palm industry was facing some challenges in terms of low yield and packaging.

As part of efforts to address these challenges, the researcher said that NIFOR had been striving to develop packaging facilities to facilitate the commercialisation of locally produced date palm fruits.

Eke said that the date palm tree could tolerate relatively harsh climatic and soil conditions under which no other crop could give reasonable returns.

“Date palm tree is an irreplaceable tree in irrigable desert lands and it plays a vital role in efforts to stop desertification,’’ he added.

In the same vein, the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology said in a report that its research had revealed that date palm cultivation would be a panacea to desertification because of the plant’s ability to adapt to desert environment.

It also said that the research found that date palm fruits had high nutritive and commercial value, while date palm trees played important roles in the ecology of various desert and semi-desert environments.

Consequently, Mr Leonard Ihase, a researcher, called on Federal Government to include date palm cultivation in its Agricultural Transformation Agenda so as to improve the livelihood of small-scale farmers and protect desert-prone areas.

He said that unlike the local date palm which would take many years to mature, the improved seedlings would start fruiting after two years, noting that one hectare of the seedlings could yield up to 10.8 million tonnes of fruits annually.

On the economics of date palm cultivation in the country, Ihase explained that planting the crop would also reduce the importation of date palm fruits from Dubai.

All in all, agronomists underscore the wisdom in promoting date palm cultivation in desert-prone areas across the country to curb the growing menace of desertification.

They also urge all the stakeholders in agriculture sector to give priority attention to date palm cultivation via biotechnology applications to curb desertification.

Obanda writes for News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Kate Obande

Environment

MOSOP – Tinubu Not Sincere With Ogoni People For Oil Resumption

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of lacking sincerity in ongoing efforts to restart oil exploration in Ogoniland, insisting that key confidence-building promises remain unfulfilled.Gas price forecast

Spokesperson of the Anda Wai-Ogosu faction of MOSOP, Mr. Oscar Imeabe, made the allegation while speaking at the May stakeholders’ meeting organised by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, in Port Harcourt.

Imeabe said the Federal Government had failed to implement critical measures it earlier described as confidence-building steps toward the resumption of oil production in Ogoni land.

He specifically cited the Federal University of Environmental Technology in Ogoni, noting that although the institution commenced operations in September 2025, it had not received any operational funding from the Federal Government as of May 2026.

“Part of the confidence building measures by President Tinubu was the establishment of the Federal University of Environmental Technology in Ogoni. The school took off since September 2025, but as we speak, this is May 2026, the Federal Government has not released any funds for the running of that university,” Imeabe said.

“So where is the confidence building measures the president talked about?”

The MOSOP spokesman also referenced the legacy of environmental activism in the region, recalling the execution of Ogoni leader Ken Saro-Wiwa and others, and the longstanding grievances over environmental degradation and economic exclusion linked to oil production.Gas price forecast

“I want to also remind us that people like Ken Saro-Wiwa fought and died for this same oil operations in Ogoni. Oil was being pumped in thousands of barrels in Ogoni, while Ogoni communities remained impoverished and the environment degraded and devastated,” he added.

Imeabe stressed that MOSOP was not opposed to the resumption of oil production in Ogoni, but insisted that due process, inclusion, and community participation must be guaranteed.

“We are not against oil resumption in Ogoni, but we are saying that the right thing should be done. The people of Ogoni must be involved in the oil resumption process. The people of Ogoni must be part of oil production. The people of Ogoni must benefit from Ogoni oil,” he said.

He urged stakeholders and advisers within the Federal Government to prevail on President Tinubu to fulfil earlier commitments and rebuild trust with the Ogoni people before any restart of oil operations in the area.

By: Kiadum Edookor

Environment

FG Pledge Support For IOM To Address Climate Incuced In West And Central Africa

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has pledged support for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) initiative aimed at mobilising investment to address climate-induced migration in West and Central Africa.

The Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal, made the commitment on Tuesday in Lagos at a regional conference organised by the IOM.

The Tide source reports that the conference was targeted at bridging the gap between climate change policy to the actual climate financing.

Lawal, who was represented by the Director of Climate Change in the ministry, Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, said Nigeria would continue to support efforts to bridge the gap between climate policy and financing.

The conference with the theme: “Migration and Climate Action in West and Central Africa: From Policy Commitment to Climate Mobility Investment,” brought together policymakers, development partners and financial institutions.

Lawal said the region was facing increasing environmental pressures, including desertification in the Sahel, coastal erosion in the Gulf of Guinea and flooding across major river basins.

“As widely recognised, climate change acts as a threat multiplier, intensifying vulnerabilities and influencing migration decisions.

“However, we must shift our perspective. Mobility is not only a crisis to be managed, but also a form of adaptation and a pathway to resilience when properly harnessed,” he said.

The minister said Nigeria had taken proactive steps through its National Adaptation Plan, which provides a long-term framework for building resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate risks.

He said the plan prioritised climate-resilient agriculture, water resource management, disaster risk reduction, urban resilience, infrastructure and ecosystem-based adaptation.

Lawal added that Nigeria was integrating human mobility into its climate policy frameworks, recognising migration as a legitimate adaptation strategy rather than solely a consequence of failed adaptation.

He said the country’s approach aligned with the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change.

Lawal stressed the need for greater investment in climate finance, resilient infrastructure, livelihoods and stronger regional cooperation.

“Without adequate investment, policy commitments risk remaining aspirational,” he said.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with regional partners, development institutions and the private sector to strengthen climate mobility governance and institutional capacity.

In her opening remarks, the IOM Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Ms Sylvia Ekra, said climate change was already reshaping livelihoods, economies and migration patterns across the region.

She said more than two million people in West and Central Africa had already been displaced by disasters.

According to her, up to 32 million people in the region could be forced to move internally by 2050 if inclusive and effective climate action is not taken.

“Mobility is not only a crisis. It is also part of the solution, enabling people to adapt, manage risks and preserve livelihoods,” she said.

Ekra noted that while policy frameworks existed, responses remained fragmented and insufficient in scale.

She said the conference was significant because it brought together climate and migration stakeholders to jointly develop practical financing solutions.

Also speaking, the Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to supporting IOM activities in Nigeria and across West and Central Africa.

De Luca described the EU as one of the world’s largest funding partners in the area of migration and said it would continue to work closely with the IOM on climate and migration issues.

Environment

NGOs Task Media On Investing In Climate Literacy

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

Non Governmental Organisations in Abuja have urged media organisations to invest in climate literacy, aiming to move beyond basic weather reporting toward in-depth, solution-oriented journalism.

The NGOs made the call at a two-day Media Training Conference on “Climate Governance and Gender Mainstreaming in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Minamata Conventions”.

The Tide source reports that the training was organised by EnviroNews Advocacy & Campaigns for Sustainability (Endvocas) in collaboration with the Women Environmental Programme (WEP).

Rep. Sam Onuigbo, a former two-time member of the House of Representatives, said the media is a critical bridge between scientific knowledge and public action, necessitating specialised reporting to counter misinformation and drive accountability.

Onuigbo, who is also the sponsor of Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021, urged the media to also do investigative reports and have specialised environmental desks capable of sustaining informed public engagement.

“Journalism is the bridge between scientific knowledge and public consciousness.

“Scientists can publish reports, legislators can enact laws, and governments can formulate policies, but without journalists who translate technical realities into human understanding, public mobilisation becomes difficult.

“Climate journalism extends far beyond reporting temperature increases or covering international climate summits,” Onuigbo said.

According to him, Climate journalism involves holding governments accountable for climate commitments, investigating climate financing and environmental corruption and also to amplify the experiences of vulnerable communities.

“The Minamata Convention and Environmental Sustainability is beyond greenhouse gas emissions and rising temperatures.

“Environmental governance must also address toxic pollution and hazardous substances capable of threatening both human health and ecological sustainability.

“One of the most important international frameworks in this regard is the Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted in 2013 and named after Minamata Bay in Japan where industrial mercury poisoning caused devastating health and environmental consequences.”

He stated that mercury pollution remains a major concern, particularly within artisanal and small-scale mining activities where unsafe mercury usage continues to contaminate water bodies, destroy ecosystems, and endanger human lives.

“The consequences include neurological disorders, developmental impairments, respiratory illnesses, and long-term ecological degradation.

“It is now a lived reality affecting communities across Nigeria and beyond. From devastating floods and desertification to food insecurity, displacement, shrinking water bodies, and rising temperatures.

“The consequences of climate disruption are already altering livelihoods and threatening national stability.

“Climate change is too large for one institution to solve alone. It demands a multistakeholder response involving legislatures, executives, the media, civil society, academia, the private sector, traditional institutions, women, and youths,” Onuigbo said.

Mr Michael Simire, Publisher of EnviroNews Nigeria, said that as climate impacts intensify across Nigeria, from devastating floods to heatwaves, biodiversity loss, and pollution, the need for informed, responsible, and gender responsive climate governance has never been more urgent.

“This is where the media stands tall.Journalists are not just storytellers; they are agenda setters, watchdogs, educators, and catalysts for change.

“The narratives you shape influence public perception, policy direction, and community action. When the media is empowered with knowledge, context, and clarity, society benefits from better governance, stronger advocacy, and more inclusive decision-making.

“Women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change and mercury pollution, yet their voices remain underrepresented in policy spaces.

“Integrating gender perspectives into climate and environmental reporting is not optional, it is essential for justice, equity, and effective solutions,” Simire said.

Mr Steve Abu, the National Network Coordinator, Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) said that in Nigeria and across Africa, climate change is no longer a headline about tomorrow, it is the reality people are surviving today.

“This is why the role of journalists, storytellers, editors, broadcasters, and digital creators has been more critical.

“It is the media that translates complexity into public understanding. It is the media that gives human faces to scientific statistics.

“It is the media that can transform climate conversations from conference halls into kitchen-table discussions across Africa.

Dr Priscilla Achakpa, Founder and Global Lead, Women Environmental Programme said that environmental communication must go beyond headlines.

“Across the world, climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is here with us. We see it in rising temperatures, devastating floods, prolonged droughts, food insecurity, displacement of communities, and growing threats to livelihoods and public health.

“These environmental crises are not just scientific or policy issues. They are human stories. They are economic stories. They are justice stories.

Achakpa added that the role of the media had never been more critical; the media is not merely a channel for information but a force for transformation.

“Without informed and consistent environmental reporting, many citizens may never fully understand the dangers of climate change or the hidden impacts of chemical pollution.

“We need reporting that helps citizens understand why flooding is becoming more frequent, Why heatwaves are intensifying, why unsafe mining practices and mercury exposure matter and why environmental policies should concern every Nigerian.

She emphasised that the fight against climate change and pollution cannot be won by governments alone.

“The stories you tell can influence national priorities.

The questions you ask can drive accountability.

The facts you publish can save lives. And the awareness you create can shape a more sustainable future.

“Because the future of our environment is ultimately the future of our people.

Together, let us amplify the voices for climate justice, environmental protection, and sustainable development,” Achakpa said.

Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe Director, Department of Climate Change in the Ministry of Environment, advocated gender responsive reporting as regards climate change.