As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships and community involvement in the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project, members of the Federal Capital Territory ACReSAL Project Implementation Unit recently visited Kwali Area Council to engage with the newly appointed Etsu of Kwali Chiefdom.

The team, led by Mr. Yunusa Boyos, Climate Change Officer of the Project and comprising members the Focal NGO, was warmly received by the Etsu of Kwali Chiefdom in his palace.

Mr. Boyos briefed the Etsu on the purpose of the visit, stating that it was to formally introduce him to the ACReSAL project and its ongoing interventions in the Kwali Area Council.

He emphasized the project’s primary objective which is to combat the impact of climate change by building community resilience and promoting good landscape management practices towards improving the livelihoods of community members.

He also provided an update on the progress that has been made in the Community Revolving Fund (CRF), a flagship initiative aimed at empowering Community Interest Groups (CIGs) with loans to enhance their agricultural productivity, improved livelihood and enhancing food and nutrition security.

While emphasizing the project’s commitment to inclusivity, Mr. Boyos urged the Etsu to facilitate the active participation of all stakeholders, especially women and pastoralists, to work in harmony and promote sense of belonging in sustainable community development. He further sought the Etsu’s support in identifying suitable land for tree planting initiatives, aimed at reclaiming large-scale degraded land in Kwali.

In his response, HRH Luka Ayedo, the Etsu of Kwali, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the selection of Kwali Chiefdom as a major beneficiary of the ACReSAL project. He assured that the community will work diligently to serve as a model success story for the initiative.

Pledging his full support, he made a plea for the provision of additional agricultural inputs to further empower the community members who are predominantly farmers, to boost their productivity.

Following the palace engagement at the palace, the team inaugurated the Site Implementation Committee, with HRH Luka Ayedo as chairman.

The FCT ACReSAL team also visited the Ibwa 2 and Rafin Zurfi communities to raise awareness about the Project Development Objective of ACReSAL, focusing on building their capacities in Climate Smart Agricultural practices and highlighting the support that will be provided for the formation of Community Interest Groups and their organization into cooperatives to enable them benefit from project interventions.

Dr. Mahmoud made this assertion at Sheda in Kwali Area Council during a ceremony organized by the FCT ACReSAL Project office to commission projects, Agricultural Machineries and distribute agricultural inputs to Community Interest Groups (CIGs) participating in the ACReSAL initiative.

She emphasised the administration’s dedication to achieving the projects objectives of ACReSAL which reclaiming degraded lands and improving community livelihoods through investments that will promote sustainable landscape management practices. She commended the World Bank for its initiative and dedicated partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria in enhancing community resilience against climate change in the 19 northern states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.

Dr. Mahmoud noted that the FCT has faced significant challenges due to large-scale land degradation over the past 48 years, primarily resulting from rapid infrastructural development and the consequent loss of a lagrge percentage of its tree covers. She expressed optimism that the ACReSAL project, with its ambitious goal to reclaim over 10,000 hectares of degraded land, would significantly mitigate these issues.

“We are committed to providing all necessary support through the relevant secretariats, departments, and agencies of the FCT Administration to ensure the success of this worthy initiative. Ultimately, our goal is to secure a brighter future for our citizens, where their livelihoods and wellbeing are protected and enhanced, and we believe that ACReSAL is a critical step towards achieving this vision,” Dr. Mahmoud stated.

She further underscored the severe impact of climate change on the agricultural sector which not only threaten national food security but also jeopardize the livelihoods of millions, exacerbating poverty rate. She therefore described the initiative to distribute agricultural inputs as strategic in addressing the challenges .

“It is our hope that this support will build farmers’ resilience and their capacities to contribute meaningfully to food security and sustainable development in the FCT,” she added.

As part of this initiative, the minister commisisoned 10 tractors, 140 power-tillers to be managed by the Local Government Implementation Committees (LGICs) chaired by Area Council Chairmen as well as improved seeds, fertilizers and agro-chemicals to community Interest Groups (CIG’s) that are engaged in agriculture. In addition, the Minister of State commissioned three utility vehicles earmarked to strengthen the capacities of institutions that provide serves that align with Project Development Objectives of ACReSAL.
The event also saw the commissioning of one of the eight solar-powered boreholes at the Sheda Cassava Women Processing Centre in Kwali, further supporting the project’s livelihood enhancement initiatives

In his address earlier at the event, Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Lawan Kolo Geidam, commended the Honourable Minister of State for her leadership as Chairperson of the FCT ACReSAL Project Steering Committee. He explained that the three utility vehicles would be allocated to various institutions as part of ACReSAL’s institutional strengthening initiative, enhancing their capacity to better serve communities.

He also highlighted that the construction of eight solar-powered boreholes in different communities were designed to provide access to potable water for daily living and agricultural activities.

Allaying fears of mismanagement an poor handling of the equipment, Geidam noted that all the CIGs that are benefitting from the intervention have been trained and registered as cooperative groups. He tasked the Local Government Implementation Committees that are led by Area Council Chairmen, to ensure that the machineries are efficiently managed and utilised by the targeted farmers.

In his goodwill message, the National Project Coordinator of the ACReSAL Project, Dr. Abdulhamid Umar represented by Abubakar Abduaziz, the Financial Management Specialist from the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU), emphasized the need for all stakeholders to work hand in hand to ensure the project’s success.

He explained that the role of the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) is to provide guidance to the implementing states and the FCT to ensure that the project’s objectives are met. He also assured that the World Bank is committed to providing the necessary support to the implementing states towards the success of the project

In her remarks, the Project Coordinator for FCT ACReSAL, Mrs. Caroline Opara, disclosed the project’s plan to restore over 1,000 hectares of degraded land in the FCT in 2024.

She also revealed plans to intervene in some of the gully erosion sites that have been identified and captured in the workplan of the project in Zuba and Rafin Zurfi.

The event was attended by members of the FCT traditional institution who pledged to continue to galvanise the support of their various communities for the ACReSAL Project in the Federal Capital Territory.