Climate Change: Borno Agency To Plant 450,000 Trees

Agro-Climate Resilience In Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACRESAL) says it has planned to plant about 450,000 trees, as well as orchards on 50 hectares of land in Briyel community of Bayo local government area of Borno State in order to cushion the effect of climate change and erosion.

The state coordinator of ACRESAL, Mr Ayuba Peter, disclosed this to journalists at the weekend in Maiduguri while focusing on some basic issues concerning the Agency’s projects in Borno.

Peter who noted that a similar programme was carried out in Gwoza local government area, added that after Briyel, the next project will be at Ngamdu, a border community between Borno and Yobe States which have been faced with severe flooding during rainy seasons.

He said the Briyel erosion was one of the sites identified right from the time of Nigeria Watershed Project (NEWMAP) stage, stressing that although Borno State keyed into the project late, ACRESAL would continue with it having been approved before the end of the NEWMAP project.

“NEWMAP has ended. We are about to transfer it to ACRESAL. This one is not for erosion control, but how to support and increase the capacity of the people to adapt to climate change in terms of using smart agriculture, trying to plant trees to reduce climate change; improve the livelihood of the people since the land is no more productive.

“But if a state has any project that has been designed and approved including safeguard studies during the time of NEWMAP, ACRESAL would continue with it. We are going to plant trees, support communities, identify what contributed to the erosion, and educate the people on how to manage the project.

“We are planning to plant 1500 trees in 300 hectares of land. We are going to select some families and support them with orchards and we are targeting about 50 hectares. We will identify those that have land and give them support. We will identify those that are seriously overaged, including the handicapped and give them support in cash.

“We have already done the mapping and as soon as we get approval, we will begin the project. Very soon, the programme will be launched,” Peter told said