GEF, FAO, FG To Restore Forest Reserves

The Global Environment Fund (GEF), in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is implementing the Food Systems, Land Use, and Restoration (FOLUR) in Ondo  and Cross River States with the target to protect the forest reserves from encroachment as a result of agricultural activities.
The Country Representative of the FAO, Dominique Kouacou, who was represented by Mrs Nifesimi Ogunkua, at the opening ceremony of FAO-GEF 7 FOLUR National Inception Workshop, with the theme, “Promoting Integrated Landscape Management and Sustainable Food Systems in the Niger Delta of Nigeria”, said this collaborative effort underscores FAO’s commitment to advancing agricultural landscape in Nigeria and contributing to the broader goals of sustainable development.
He said the landscape of Nigeria’s Niger Delta region holds tremendous ecological significance, recognized internationally for its lowland tropical rainforests with high conservation value and carbon stock.
The Acting FAO Country Representative, however, said unfortunately, the region is experiencing alarming rates of deforestation, primarily driven by agricultural expansion, especially in Cocoa and Oil Palm cultivation.
“In response to this critical situation, Nigeria has actively sought to participate in the GEF-7 Food Systems, Land Use, and Restoration Impact Program.
“The GEF-7’s FOLUR-IP Project is designed to transform the Niger Delta’s cocoa and palm oil production systems and landscapes towards sustainability and resilience, delivering multiple environmental and social benefits through its compartmental activities.
“The National Project Coordinator of FOLUR, Professor Oladapo Akinyemi, said the project supported by Global Environment Facility (GEF) being implemented by the FAO and the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) is the operational partner to the FAO”, he said.
He explained that the project is basically promoting land use system and food system in Niger Delta region with focus on Ondo State and Cross River State.
Professor Akinyemi further noted that the project is trying to focus on how to develop the country’s degraded forest so that it will be replanted with forest trees and make sure that there is no longer the degradation of the forest.
The Minister of State for Environment and Ecological Management, Dr Iziak Salaco, said this inception workshop is a response to Nigeria’s request for FAO-GEF developmental project, particularly on food production and land restoration.