Environemntal Minister Charges Northern States on ACReSAL Sustainability

News in Brief

-Nigeria's Environment Minister Balarabe Lawal has tasked the 19 northern states and the FCT under the ACReSAL to sustain the project ahead of its 2028 end.

-Governor Agbu Kefas unveiled the establishment of the Taraba Agro-Climatic and Watershed Management Agency as the cornerstone of the state's sustainability strategy.

Environment Minister Alhaji Balarabe Abbas Lawal has issued a strong directive to the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) benefiting from the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project to immediately craft comprehensive sustainability plans for the project. 

Speaking in Jalingo, Taraba State, during the flag-off of climate-smart agricultural initiatives and equipment rollout, Lawal warned that the gains from this World Bank-backed programme must endure beyond its closure in 2028.

“ACReSAL is billed to wind out March 31, 2028, and benefiting states must find ways to sustain this project to ensure the benefits and gains recorded continue to yield results," he stated. "We must also work to make the local people own this project, which should be an integral part of the sustainability plan."

Lawal urged the establishment of robust ownership structures and institutionalised maintenance frameworks to guarantee that project inputs and infrastructure benefit communities for decades.

ACReSAL targets critical environmental threats like deforestation, desertification, poor waste management, and water degradation in Nigeria's semi-arid north. With over 3.4 million direct beneficiaries and goals to restore one million hectares of degraded land by 2030, the project has already demonstrated impacts across participating regions, including Taraba's 16 local government areas.

Taraba State Shines as Model Performer

Lawal singled out Taraba for praise, naming it among the five best-performing states in ACReSAL implementation due to its proactive engagement and efficient project execution. This recognition builds on the state's advancement to stage two of the project by the World Bank in early 2025, reflecting strong state-federal collaboration.

Governor Agbu Kefas responded by highlighting the establishment of the Taraba Agro-Climatic and Watershed Management Agency as the cornerstone of the state's sustainability strategy.

“The agency will institutionalise the project’s blueprint, ensuring continuity beyond donor funding and embedding its structures within the state’s governance framework,” he noted.

Kefas also announced a Rosewood Restoration Taskforce to partner with the federal government on forest recovery.

Dr Yakubu Giwa, ACReSAL State Project Coordinator, attributed the project's success in Taraba to unwavering state government support, which fostered an enabling environment for rollout across all 16 local government areas.

In a similar move, the Gombe state government has also kick-started a legal procedure to establish an agency to sustain the executed projects and established facilities of ACReSAL in the state. 

A bill to facilitate the creation of a dedicated agency, called the Gombe State Integrated Landscape Management Agency, had been reportedly submitted to the state ministry of environment in February, marking the beginning of the administrative process for the realisation of the goal.

Major Asset Distribution Boosts Agric Capacity

The Jalingo event featured significant handovers of equipment to empower farmers and institutions. Lawal handed over 100 power tillers to Community Interest Groups, 20 tractors (one per local government area), 1,500 clean cookstoves, and solar-powered water pumps.

Additional commissions included renovated government buildings and new Hilux vehicles distributed to the state Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Water Resources, and the Taraba Environmental Protection Agency (TEPA). These moves underscore the federal government's push to build institutional capacity for environmental management and climate resilience in agriculture-dependent communities.

The distribution aligns with broader ACReSAL efforts, such as climate-smart inputs and community revolving funds previously unveiled in Taraba, enhancing food security and resilience against climate shocks like land degradation and water scarcity.