Combating desertification in Nigeria with a “Green Wall”

The growing interest in environmental sustainability to support rural development include a strong concern to conserve and enhance the agricultural resource base which is threatened by degradation through deforestation, soil erosion, desertification etc. Desertification in particular affects about 40 per cent of the African Continent and according to UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Report; two – thirds of the Continent’s arable land could be lost by 2025 if the trend continues unchecked.
In Nigeria the economies and livelihoods of all the communities in the dry region depend largely on soil, water, and vegetation cover and these are increasingly threatened by desertification and recurrent droughts.  More than 70 per cent of the population rely on natural resources for their revenues, yet, the region is characterized by low and inadequate harvests, decreasing water resources and vegetation cover, climate variations, desertification, recurring floods, erosion and high population growth.
In view of the myriad ecological challenges threatening the socio – economic development of the dry region of the country, the Nigerian Great Green Wall programme has been tailored to propel rural development and improve the living conditions of the affected communities by preventing or reversing ecosystem degradation and enhancing its service delivery.  Relieving pressure on the natural resource base by offering alternative livelihood options that do not exert excessive pressure on land is a key strategy embedded in the Programme Strategic Action Plan to contribute towards sustainable development of the dry areas of the country.
Since the commencement of the implementation of the Great Green Wall Programme in Nigeria in August 2013, and in view of the need to achieve the vision of the programme, attention has been focused among others on the following:
• Sustained advocacy and sensitization campaigns
• Rehabilitation of degraded land through Afforestation and reforestation programme, oases rehabilitation and sand dune stabilization
• Improvement of dryland agriculture and enhancement of food security
• Promotion of sustainable livelihoods
• Development of fodder bank and grazing reserves
• Development of rural infrastructure
• Promotion of alternative and renewable sources of energy
• Employment generation and poverty alleviation
In order to ensure success, high priority has been accorded to community participation in the programme from its design stage onwards. Evaluation shows that community participation helps to make programme or project results sustainable after completion.  Active involvement of the local communities in the design, preparation, implementation and evaluation of projects has become the predominant factors in poverty alleviation and in their attainment of a more productive life.
Operational Activities and Achievements
From August 2013 – December 2014, numerous projects in line with the 2013 and 2014 work plans approved by the National Council on Great Green Wall have been implemented in the eleven participating Frontline States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara to reverse the process of desertification and improve the livelihoods of the affected communities.
These projects have already started transforming the landscape of the drylands of Nigeria and impacting positively on the affected people.  This report therefore is aimed to detail the achievements attained in the implementation of the Great Green Wall programme in Nigeria in 2014.  
Establishment of Contiguous Green-Wall
Establishment of contiguous 1,500km long and 15km wide Greenwall or  ‘wall of trees’ or shelterbelt from Kebbi State in the Northwest to Borno State in the Northeast a is one of the key components of the Nigerian Great Green Wall Programme and part of the continental Great Green Wall stretching from Senegal to Djibouti.
The contiguous Green Wall, 10km from Nigerian International border will cut across seven Frontline States of Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno.
The main objective of the Contiguous Green Wall is to serve as windbreak and achieve among others the following:
• Halt the Southward advancement of Sahara Desert
• Rehabilitate degraded lands
• Protect and improve the quality of farmlands
• Increase vegetation cover
• Improve Biodiversity
• Combat Climate Change
• Protect human settlements and other infrastructure
• Stabilize shifting sand
• Enhance rural livelihoods
In 2014, a target of 181km of shelterbelt was set for establishment. The States established a total of 132km shelterbelt from July – September 2014 or 73 per cent of the set target:
To be continued

With contributions from  Sani Mamman Katsina, National Agency for Great Green Wall Abuja.