The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), has began the training of farmers in Sokoto State on best agricultural practices and proper utilisation of livelihood packages to mitigate climate change.
The Project Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Gatawa, said this at the inauguration of the training exercise on Monday in Sokoto.
Gatawa said 5,000 hectares of arable land was earmarked on the project with focus on restoring optimum land fertility, forestation and other productive activities in Sokoto state.
He said the exercise was part of the initiative to reinvigorate the land productivity and provide alternative livelihood to the communities as well as to protect forest resources from extinctions.
“We organised the training for the local communities surrounding the project areas on best utilisation of livelihood packages provided by the project.
“The concept was conceived under the project’s component to engage stakeholders comprising traditional and religious leaders, key community members and farming communities on special ecosystem forest management, ” Gatawa said.
He explained that economic trees, herbal medicinal trees and those providing shelters and other importance to the environment would be planted and nursed.
“It is an activity under the project that is focused on ensuring the integrity of the ecosystem is maintained, to enable the environment to benefit from the critical functions it serves in the area of dryland management,” he said.
Earlier, the State’s Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Nura Tangaza, underscored the importance of the project toward restoring environmental productivity.
Tangaza who was represented by Permanent Secretary, Mr Mustapha Alkali, urged the participants to avail themselves of the opportunity towards improving their social and economic status.
He said the benefitting communities would be exposed to Crop Production Management, Sustainable Practices, Climate Change Adaptation, Livestock Management, Data Management and Use, Farming Business and Marketing.
The District Head of Shuni, Alhaji Harande Muhammad, enjoined the farming communities to protect the environment to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change on the ecosystems.
(NAN)