By Dare Akogun
As part of its efforts in implementing sustainable landscape management practices, to boost food production the Kwara State government has inaugurated the State Steering and Technical Committee on Agro-Climatic Resilience in semi-arid landscapes (ACReSAL).
The state Deputy Governor, Kayode Alabi, at the event held in the government house said the inauguration demonstrates the state’s readiness to kickstart the project and urged members to rid the State of environmental and climatic challenges swiftly.
He said the present administration in the state has been commended for developing and sustaining the State through collaborations with relevant institutions.
READ ALSO:
Climate Change: Kwara harps on importance of tree planting to safeguard environment
Kwara community accuses Police of extrajudicial killings, seeks government intervention
Insecurity: CJID organises media and security dialogue
General Overseer arrested with drugs granted N2 million bail
The Chairman, State steering and technical committee on agro-climatic resilience in semi-arid landscapes (ACReSAL) and the Commissioner for Environment, Abosede Olaitan Buraimoh, said the inauguration complements Governor AbdulRazaq’s approval of N500 Million as counterpart fund and release of Five Million Naira for the rehabilitating and equipping the project coordination office.
She added that ACReSAL is a multi-sectoral, World Bank-supported project aimed at halting and remedying the devastating effects of global warming, environmental degradation and related health challenges by boosting the agricultural and climatic resilience of the environment.
The Federal Government while initiating the project in 2021, which is a $700 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) will increase the implementation of sustainable landscape management practices in northern Nigeria and strengthen the country’s long-term enabling environment for integrated climate-resilient landscape management.
The project is to help Nigeria address critical challenges of regional desertification control and land scape management in northern Nigeria.
The ACReSAL Project is a 6-year strategic project prioritizing actions within four components: Dryland Management, Community Climate Resilience, Institutional Strengthening and Project Management, and Contingent Emergency Response.
It will improve the capacity of the country to adapt to a changing climate, largely through enhancing multi-sectoral convergence (across environment, agriculture and water) and technology modernization, including improved use of data, analytics, and connectivity.