By Abdullahi Lukman
The Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP) has announced plans to plant 200,000 economic trees across the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state this year, as part of efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.
This initiative builds on last year’s success, when 100,000 economic trees were planted.
Ishaku Jilemsam, the Programme Manager for PADP, made the announcement on Thursday, May 8, 2025, during a training session on Smart Agriculture for women in Bassa LGA.
The training was organized by Nuhu Yakubu, the Special Adviser to Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Sustainable Technology and Carbon Credit Management.
Jilemsam explained that the focus on economic trees, which offer financial benefits, aims to discourage farmers from cutting them down.
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He also revealed that requests have been made to local government chairmen to provide 500 hectares of land each for planting the trees, with several chairmen already agreeing to make land available.
The tree planting initiative is part of a broader strategy to address climate change and promote eco-friendly agricultural practices in the state.
Jilemsam also highlighted the importance of smart agricultural practices, especially given the challenges posed by climate change and security issues.
He advised farmers to pay attention to weather forecasts, as this year is expected to have a shorter rainy season, and encouraged the adoption of early-maturing, drought-resistant crop varieties.
Yakubu, in his remarks, emphasized that the training was aimed at equipping women with the skills needed for eco-friendly farming practices.
He also noted that the data gathered from the training would aid the government’s future planning for climate-resilient agriculture.
