Kaduna To Restore 22,435 Hectares Of Degraded Land

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has said the state had identified 22,435 hectares of degraded land for restoration using advanced geospatial mapping technologies under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project.

The governor said the development marked a major step in Kaduna’s climate resilience drive, as the state intensifies efforts to reverse environmental degradation and promote sustainable land use.

Represented by the commissioner for environment and natural resources, Abubakar Buba at the ACReSAL mid-term review meeting held in Kaduna, the governor explained that the deployment of geospatial tools had enabled the state to accurately map out degraded areas, ensuring targeted and effective restoration interventions.

According to him, the initiative was designed not only to restore ecosystems but also to improve agricultural productivity and livelihoods across affected communities.

The governor added that Kaduna was complementing the land restoration drive with livelihood support programmes, including the training of over 500 women, youths and school feeding vendors in biomass briquette production.

He said the programme was already reducing reliance on firewood while creating alternative income sources for beneficiaries.

Sani further disclosed that over 160 kilometres of drainage channels had been desilted to address urban flooding and improve environmental conditions in key areas.

He noted that the state had also developed a 10-year climate change policy to institutionalise sustainability and guide long-term environmental planning.

The governor, however, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of the ACReSAL project.

Earlier, the minister of environment and chairman of the Federal Steering Committee, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, described the mid-term review as a crucial platform to assess progress and fast-track delivery.

Lawal said the project had recorded notable gains in land restoration, afforestation and livelihood support across participating states.