Great Green Wall Programme: Borno Govt. raises 300,000 seedlings – Official

Borno Government has raised over 300,000 seedlings of assorted tree species to complement efforts of the National Agency for Great Green Wall programme in tackling desertification and degradation.

Larai Daze, Head of Press and Public Relations, Agency for Great Green Wall, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“As normalcy is gradually returning to the state, the Gov. Kashim Shettima, has through the state Ministry of Environment, raised over 300,000 seedlings of assorted tree species.

“The seeds include jathropha, gum arabic among others to complement the efforts of the agency.

“This will complement the agency’s programme of tackling the detrimental social, economic and environmental impacts of land degradation and desertification in northern Nigeria.

“Borno state has been ravaged under insurgency and has lost so much including lives and termination of very important government projects, which are slowly but surely gathering back their losses.’’

She said that the Great Green Wall programme was one of the Federal Government’s projects in some parts of Borno that were destroyed.

“It was gravely affected by the insurgency activities as seedlings, planted trees, crops and boreholes as well as fencing were destroyed.

“The seedlings raised by the Borno Government are expected to be used for this year’s planting which will soon commence.’’

According to her, the Great Green Wall programme is a laudable achievement of the African Union toward fighting desertification which poses a great threat to the frontline countries.

The frontline states are Adamawa, Borno, Kano, Jigawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto and Yobe.

“It is expected that the state governments should be the key drivers in the implementation stage serving as a pivot to sustain the programme with federal and local governments’ collaboration.’’