13bn hectares of Africa’s land lost to agric, says FG

By Fatima Saka

The Federal Government has expressed worry over loss of 13 billion hectares of Africa’s land to agriculture every year, which it said had led to loss of biodiversity and climate change, while calling on relevant stakeholders to support an holistic approach.

Chief Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State for Environment, disclosed this at an inaugural meeting of African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), on Thursday in Abuja.

Speaking, Ikeazor, who was represented by Mr Saghir el Mohammed, Director of Press at the ministry, said that the meeting was a National Stakeholders` Platform on Degraded Forest and Landscape Restoration.
She further said that the inauguration would enhance coordination among the stakeholders on land restoration.

Ikeazor said that each year, 13 billion hectares of forest are lost to land conversion for agricultural uses such as pastures and cropland.

“The loss of land has detrimental effects on regional water available, soil fertility. More than 70 per cent of all natural ecosystems have been transformed to produce food and animal feeds.

“Illegal logging is threatening forests worldwide, home to several indigenous people, communities, and wildlife.

“Desertification, land degradation induced by deforestation, overgrazing, bush burning and mining activities among others are increasing at an alarming rate in African countries,’’ she said.

Ikeazor also stated that about 35 per cent of Nigeria’s land which included the dry land zones lying between latitude 10 degrees north and 14 degrees north was threatened by desertification.

She said that the AFR100 was a country – led effort to restore 100 million hectares of forest and degraded landscape across Africa by 2030.

Ikeazor said that 32 countries had pledged to restore 128 million hectares thus surpassing the commitment goal.

The minister said that Nigeria had also made a commitment to the AFR100 initiative, to restore four million hectares of degraded landscape.

She expressed that AFR100 would help to accelerate achievement of food security, restore degraded land, increase climate change resilience and mitigation as well as combat poverty.

“This will not only contribute to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration but will also deliver on the objectives of the three global Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).

“The agreements are UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD).

“So, let us work together to accelerate forest landscape restoration to fulfill the commitment made to the AFR100 initiative and the Bonn challenge.

“Let us harmonise and integrate the various interventions that are underway on forest landscape restoration to exploit synergies and avoid duplication of efforts,’’ Ikeazor said.

Mr Hassan Musa, Permanent Secretary of the ministry said that AFR 100 was established to reverse degradation in the forest and landscape.

Musa, represented by Mr Charles Ikea, Director, Erosion and Pollution Control in the ministry said that the initiative would create awareness and promote sustainable practices in the country.

He said that the AFR 100 would present an opportunity for public and private sectors to demonstrate large scale transformative action to restore degraded land.

Also, Mr Lealen Barhanu, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Country Representative said that the UNDP would continue to support the government to ensure a healthy and sustainable environment.

Barhanu, who praised the ministry on its commitment to ensure that the AFR100 initiative was inaugurated, said that the effort would help to restore and conserve the environment.

He added that the determination would as well serve as a framework for exchange of ideas as such would help to enhance in the restoration of landscape in the country.