Stakeholders Blame Deforestation On Lack Of Land Use Planning

Stakeholders have said lack of land use planning is a major factor militating against time-tested solutions to the problem of deforestation as well as challenges confronting sustainable forest management which include commodity-driven deforestation.

The stakeholders spoke separately at the Forest Positive for Commodity Export From Nigeria (FPEN) high-level policy meeting organised in Abuja by the Center for Human Settlements and Sustainable Development Nigeria (CHUSSDEV).

Chairman of CHUSSDEV, Prof. Seyi Fabiyi, said the meeting of forest positives for commodity export from Nigeria, a regional demonstration, was officially launched in August 2022 with the UK-Pact Funding to promote nature based solutions to climate change challenges in Nigeria.

“The project is winding down and it becomes imperative to share the outcomes, outputs and ideas of the project with the policymakers and stakeholders for the purpose of integrating into the Nigerian climate change policy framework.

“Coincidentally, the African climate summit is currently holding in Nairobi, Kenya and most of the issues that will come up at the summit are also listed for discussion in this meeting,” he said.

He said the policy shift in the technical areas of climate change is not a sprint, but a marathon, and the project team members were prepared to go all the way to provide a globally acceptable platform to monitor our forest and to provide zero deforestation assurances to our agricultural commodities

“The project will set the agenda for Nigeria to competitively participate in the global carbon market and promote sustainable commodities,” he said.

Minister of state for environment, Dr. Ishaq Salako, who was represented at the meeting by the director of the Federal Department of Forestry, Federal Ministry of Environment, Hajara Sami, commended CHUSSDEV for organising the high-level policy meeting.

He described the meeting as a right step in the right direction.