World Bank Wants Taraba ACReSAL To Improve Community Coverage

The World Bank has called on the Taraba State implementation team of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project to close identified gaps across benefiting communities to improve coverage and project delivery.

The bank’s officials, who were in the state on a three-day assessment tour of the organisatio’s projects, called for sustained efforts to strengthen community impact as well as to address the basic needs of the people.

The team went round all its project sites in Bakin Dutse – Ardo-Kola local government, Shuwa and Nyala in Bali local government and the Yakoko in Zing local government area.

A member of the World Bank Task Team, Andy Seglah, described the interventions as encouraging and stressed the need for targeted improvements to meet community expectations.

“What we have seen is quite impressive, but ACReSAL needs to return to the communities to address the gaps and challenges identified.

“You see all the trees that are not thriving should be replaced, and there is the need to increase the number of boreholes across benefiting communities,” he said.

The World Bank’s Co-Task Team Lead, Dr. Manievel Sene, urged benefiting communities to take ownership of the project by nurturing planted trees to ensure long-term sustainability.

He assured that, ACReSAL would continue to respond to the needs of the people.

“We have listened to their concerns and we believe many can be addressed by ACReSAL. However, communities must complement these efforts to ensure lasting impact,” he stated.

Similarly, the Drought and Desertification Control Specialist with the ACReSAL, Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) and FAO Focal Officer, Oghale Ruth, commended the achievements within the period and called for sustained efforts to maximize its impact.

“We supported Taraba ACReSAL last year with a 10-hectare intervention, aimed at strengthening capacity building for both the communities and the Project Implementation Unit. Since then, there have been noticeable improvements.

“There is clear buy-in from the communities, and we are encouraged that our efforts have yielded results. However, we want to see more actions translating into sustainable benefits for the people,” she added.

Earlier, the Taraba State ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Dr. Giwa Yakubu Clement, assured that all recommendations and observations would be implemented to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the project across the state.