By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Federal Government and key stakeholders have reaffirmed support for a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations-led initiative promoting deforestation-free finance in Nigeria.
The commitment was made on Wednesday, at a workshop in Lagos themed, “Advancing Deforestation-Free Finance in Nigeria’s Banking Sector: From Roadmap to Implementation.”
The programme, funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by FAO, aims to promote sustainable food systems, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration, especially in cocoa and oil palm-producing areas.
Speaking at the event, FAO Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Dr Hussein Gadain, said deforestation-free finance was now an environmental and economic necessity, noting that sustainable supply chains attract global investors.
Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas, represented by Mrs Halima Bawa-Bwari, warned that deforestation threatens agriculture, food security and regional stability.
Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the European Union also pledged continued support for sustainable and climate-friendly finance initiatives in Nigeria.
