The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has sought the support of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, to actualize its 50 million date palm project.
The Director-General of NAGGW, Saleh Abubakar, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the SGF in his office in Abuja. He explained that the initiative is designed to combat desertification and restore degraded lands across the 11 frontline states of Northern Nigeria.
Abubakar recalled that the agency, during its 10th-anniversary celebration in August, launched the ambitious project as part of efforts to curb desert encroachment. He said that, so far, NAGGW has distributed no fewer than five million date palms across the frontline states and aims to scale up to 50 million by 2030.
“I am here to solicit your support in combating desertification, land degradation, and our 50 million date palm initiative for economic empowerment,” he said.
He noted that NAGGW, established in 2015, is mandated to address land degradation, fight desertification, enhance food security, and support climate adaptation efforts in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa. The agency also serves as Nigeria’s focal point for the African Union’s Great Green Wall of the Sahara and Sahel Initiative.
Abubakar added that since assuming office over a year ago, the agency has intensified its collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure community ownership of its interventions. He appealed for enhanced federal support to enable NAGGW secure more funding for the date palm initiative and other programmes aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Responding, Senator Akume commended the agency’s efforts in addressing the impacts of climate change across the 11 frontline states. He assured the DG of the Federal Government’s continued support to ensure NAGGW effectively delivers on its mandate.
