The Project Coordinator of the FCT Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Mrs Caroline Opara has revealed plans by the project to establish woodlots and plant trees as part of efforts to reclaim over 1,000 hectares of degraded land in the University of Abuja.

Mrs. Opara gave this hint when she led members of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) to interface with the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University, Professor Oyerinde Kareem

The visit to the University according to Mrs. Opara was part of ACReSAL’s initiative to foster institutional collaboration towards fulfilling its goal of reclaiming degraded lands and transforming them into suitable environments for sustainable agricultural activities in the 19 Northern states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Our goal wherever ACReSAL projects are domiciled is not only to address the pressing issue of climate change but to create a more resilient and sustainable environment that prioritizes ecological restoration and community development” Opara said.

She reiterated the dedication of the project to deploying the necessary resources to guarantee the success of the reforestation initiative that will not only mitigate the impact of climate change but also create opportunities that will enhance agricultural activities and improved quality of life for the communities in the University environment.

The ACReSAL team she added will be engaging stakeholders in order to explore ways in which they can reap more substantial benefits from the proposed reforestation efforts.

In his remarks, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Professor Oyerinde Kareem expressed the University’s endorsement of the initiative which he said aligns with its vision to revive the academic green spaces, severely degraded by rampant deforestation activities.

“The University is enthusiastic about this commendable initiative by ACReSAL which is very much in line with our aspiration to replenish vast areas of the University that have suffered excessive deforestation” he declared.

The ACReSAL team was led on a tour to view the specific sites designated for the planned reforestation project.