Ministry Urges Support To Check Desertification

The Director, Drought
and Desertification Amelioration Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr Bukar Hassan,  has solicited for stakeholders’ support for the successful implementation of the Great Green Wall (GGW) project meant to check deserfication encroachment.
Hassan, in an interview with newsmen in Abuja said that the programme was for planting  trees to stop deforestation and desertification in affected states.
“GGW is an environmental  programme meant to check the ravaging desert encroachment in the northern part of the country he said.
“But it intends to protect the whole eco-system by ensuring that attention is given to water, plants and animals, among others.
“In programme  like this, we dant only need money, don’t  also need terminal input and the good will of the people.
“We also need the institutions like the state and local governments to work with in order to achieve the objectives.
“These are all input which are expecting to receive from stakeholders at the level,” Hassan said.
The director also said the committee set up to implement  the programme was aggressive pursuing sensitisation programmes, to ensure the participation of the stakeholders.
He said the move was essential in order not to involve not only the communities or farmers, but also police makers at all levels.
“Thefaith groups, the women association and the farmers association so that we work with them because this is a community-based programme.
“And community-based must be seen to driven by the communities.
“That way you will be able to ensure “ownership and sustainability of the programme,” he said.
Our correspondent  reports that some of the things in the work plan include capacity building, upgrading of training facilities, site identification and delineation and environmental impact assessment studies.
The list also includes land preparation, planning and nurturing, and the provision of support to communities to raise seedlings and procurement from private sector.”