The National Agency for the Great Green Wall, NAGGW, has reiterated its commitment to addressing land degradation and desertification in Nigeria.
Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Sale Abubakar stated this at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, UNCCD, COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abubakar explained that the convention was aimed at fostering global action against desertification and climate challenges.
He noted that NAGGW’s restoration of degraded lands, reforestation programmes, and community empowerment efforts serve as a model for international cooperation.
“COP16 provides a platform to turn global commitments into tangible actions, and Nigeria is proud to contribute to this vision,” he noted.
The D-G outlined Nigeria’s role in the regional Great Green Wall initiative, spanning 11 African countries, as an example of effective collaboration for sustainable development.
He stressed that the agency has introduced community driven projects which includes sustainable agriculture and agroforestry, that has helped in the transformation of lives in northern Nigeria.
‘Restoring land is not just an environmental necessity but an economic opportunity,” Abubakar added,
He therefore appealed for stronger international partnerships to bridge the climate financing gap.
The Director General of NAGGW called for cross-regional collaboration to address the shared challenges of land degradation.
“The challenges transcend borders, and sharing knowledge is key to achieving our collective goals” he stressed.
At the conference, the NAGGW showcased its success in implementing early warning systems and fostering peace through resource-sharing agreements among farmers and pastoralists.
The agency also hosted a side event on integrating women and youth into land restoration efforts, sharing grassroots success stories.
The event also saw active participation from the Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who led the Nigerian delegation.
PR.
