Sokoto State Government says it will plant 1 million trees across strategic locations this year as part of the sustained plausible efforts to prevent desertification in the state.
The Director, Forestry in the Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Mustapha Bello, disclosed this during a sensitisation exercise in commemoration of the 2025 World Desertification and Drought Day on Thursday in Sokoto.
Bello,who underscored the importance of trees to human lives and environmental conservation, solicited for collaborative efforts on tree planting and nursing at all levels.
He cautioned people against the indiscriminate trees’ felling for human activities and reiterated the state government’s commitment on safeguarding trees as well as the establishment of more shelter belts across the state.
” The Ministry had made arrangements to plant 1 million trees this season and it is determined to augment schools’ and institutions’ tree planting exercises.
” More investments were made to prevent desert encroachment and other climate change activities in partnership with international and national agencies, ” Bello said.
According to him, climate change mitigation strategies were strengthened at all levels in the state to ensure coordination and harmonious activities.
Bello explained that land degradation, drought, desertification and their impacts on the environment and human livelihoods had become pressing issues of global environmental concerns that required urgent attention.
The director said that land degradation was both a cause and consequence of climate change.
In his presentation, Dr Abubakar Gumi, from the Department of Plant Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, dwelt on the causes, impacts, spread and attention needed to prevent desertification.
Gumi said dangers on environmental degradation were enormous that required collectives efforts from individuals, groups and institutions.
He explained that land restoration offered a powerful solution with the potential to limit climate change and achieve sustainable development goals.
According to him, increased awareness, call to action and other collective efforts were desirable to save the environment.
Gumi called on the residents of the state to plant trees to combat climate change and refrain from activities that aggravate drought and desertification.
The Newsmen reports the event was organized in collaboration with Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and it featured demonstration of tree planting, discussions, questions and answers among the stakeholders.
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