By Grace Ademulegun
The Strategic Catchment Management Plans (SCMPs) under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) project is to be validated by the federal government of Nigeria in collaboration with the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Following in-depth discussions with stakeholders from all participating regions, the validation session is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18, in Abuja.
With the help of a $700 million World Bank loan, the six-year initiative intends to increase environmental sustainability, manage water resources more effectively, and address the effects of climate change in northern Nigeria.
Speaking on Monday, 16th Abdulhamid Umar, the National Project Coordinator for ACReSAL, outlined the importance of the SCMPs in guaranteeing targeted and customised interventions.
“The Strategic Catchment Management Plans make sure that investments are in line with each catchment area’s unique demands and available natural resources. This strategy steers clear of dispersed, disorganised development initiatives,” he highlighted.
The pilot phase of the SCMPs focuses on the Hadeja Jama’are catchment region, which encompasses the states of Jigawa and Bauchi. Umar emphasised the importance of basing planning on hydrological flows rather than political borders in order to prevent conflicts.
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“Water does not regard political boundaries. The catchment plans are scientifically designed to follow natural hydrological flows, which helps us prevent political conflicts between states and ensures environmental sustainability and cohesiveness,” Umar said.
Mahmud Kambari, the Federal Ministry of Environment’s permanent secretary, praised the initiative and called it a first for Nigeria.
“For the first time, Nigeria is creating catchment management plans that encompass such a large geographic area. The framework that was approved today will serve as a model for proposals of a similar nature in other areas,” Kambari said.
He also commended Mecon Geology and Engineering Ltd. and other Nigerian companies for completing the project to international standards.
In the states of Yobe, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Kano, where stakeholders have verified data gathered from previous discussions, the SCMPs’ pilot phase is presently being implemented.
It is anticipated that the ACReSAL project, which started in 2022 and will end in 2028, will improve climate resilience, lessen environmental problems, and promote socioeconomic growth throughout the area.
Stakeholders are still hopeful that the SCMPs’ results would provide a model for managing land and water resources sustainably, which will help millions of people living in the semi-arid regions of northern Nigeria.
