In order to lessen the effects of climate change, the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has registered 15,000 young volunteers who will help with reforestation, afforestation, alternative energy production, job and income creation, and capacity building.
In order to demonstrate a positive impact on the environment, the volunteers will work on implementation programs in the 11 frontline states of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa.
Dr. Yusuf Maina-Bukar, the director general of NAGGW, revealed these during a press conference to commemorate his first year in office in Abuja. He went on to say that they had achieved significant progress toward reversing the threat of desertification by improving the lifestyles of the communities in the afflicted states.
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In his words, “Since its inception, afforestation and restoration activities have been the heart of its activities, these include establishment of shelterbelts, woodlots, orchards and most recently institutional planting, social forestry, farm forestry, marketable gardens and large-scale restoration of degraded land.”
“We have introduced techniques, strategies and approaches to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Great Green Wall programmes such as the Half Moon and Zai methods of planting; that enhances seedling and tree survival rate, and improves soil retention capacity.”
He added that they have improved soil fertility and increased vegetation cover using the waterbox retention technology for irrigation that enhances seedling and tree survival rate by 90 per cent during dry season and reduces the carbon footprints released in the environment.
Story was adapted from The Guardian