By Bisola Adeyemo
As part of efforts to combat desertification in Kebbi State, Governor Atiku Bagudu, has begun distribution of tree seedlings to the public across the 21 Local Government Areas to improve forest reserves.
Bagudu disclosed this at the flag-off of distribution of the tree seedlings at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in Birnin Kebbi, on Thursday.
According to Environews, the economic tree seedlings distributed included orange, mango, date, moringa, cashew, pawpaw, guava, banana, among others.
Bagudu, who spoke through his representative Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Umar Babale-Yauri, said the government would continue to empower farmers and other residents to improve their income.
This is personally targeted at boosting both the environment as well as economy of our farmers, “We don’t only plant trees, we also look at our environment to make it habitable and combat desertification at the same time.
“It is the conviction of the state government that we have to empower our farmers, not only in terms of agricultural inputs but also in other areas that can give the farmers a source of capital income,” he said.
While commenting the ministry for nurturing the economic trees distributed to the public, Bagudu said
“This shows how committed the staff of the ministry are, and shows that youths have been put into the ministry.
“That is why we are seeing innovations which are very good to the government and the people of the state,” the governor said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural resources, Malam Hayatu Bawa, said: “We have about 40,000 of these trees here that are meant for the general public.
“We would try to be just in distributing them and we would distribute the seedlings to local government areas across the state; targeting the identified farmers.
“We are losing 3.5 per cent of our land to desertification every year. And the distribution of the seedlings is one way to contain this problem.”
Bawa, therefore, appreciated the governor effort for supporting the ministry and disclosed plans to commence massive tree planting across the state, to reinforce the afforestation system.
The commissioner, however, appealed to the state government to allow the ministry to recruit forest rangers, to replace those who retired.