By Abdullahi Lukman
The Federal Government has announced plans to expand the World Bank-supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) Project as a central strategy to combat food insecurity and climate challenges across Nigeria.
Speaking on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at the ACReSAL Project-Wide Retreat in Lagos, Minister of Environment Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal emphasized the project’s role in tackling desert encroachment, land degradation, and other climate-induced threats in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Lawal pointed to rainwater harvesting as a key area for expansion, proposing its use to promote all-season farming, reduce dependence on rain-fed agriculture, and mitigate the impact of flooding.
He noted that redirecting excess floodwater through sustainable systems could enhance forest restoration and environmental stability.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Dr. Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, praised ACReSAL’s contributions to sustainable agriculture and resilience in Northern Nigeria.
He highlighted the initiative’s alignment with the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes agricultural transformation and national food security. “By tackling land degradation and climate challenges, we are securing livelihoods and building a more resilient Nigeria,” he said.
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World Bank Task Team Leader and Senior Environmental Specialist Dr. Joy Iganya Agene reported that ACReSAL has made measurable progress, rehabilitating nearly 200,000 hectares of degraded land—out of a target of 1 million—in just two years.
She noted the success of regenerative agricultural methods such as the Halfmoon approach in Adamawa, and the project’s role in flood mitigation in states like Katsina and Kaduna.
A key achievement of the Lagos retreat was the validation of three strategic catchment management plans for Rima, Sokoto-Zamfara, and Gulbin-Ka regions.
These plans provide a unified framework for managing land and water resources, with an emphasis on climate resilience, ecological restoration, and inclusive development.
So far, nine out of 20 macro-level plans have been completed, alongside efforts to develop 200 micro-level plans.
Led jointly by the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, and Water Resources—with the cooperation of the 19 northern state governors and the FCT—the ACReSAL project integrates dryland management, community climate resilience, institutional development, and project governance.
The retreat also focused on enhancing coordination, promoting stakeholder collaboration, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the project’s outcomes.
