Nasarawa smallholder farmers get 938,000 seedlings

In a bid to tackle the issues of climate change in Nasarawa State, a non-governmental organisation, One Acre Fund, Nigeria has commenced the distribution of 938,000 Albizia Lebbeck tree seedlings to 34,000 smallholder farmers in the state.

One Acre Fund is a non-profit development organisation that supports farmers in Nigeria by providing them with access to high-quality agricultural inputs to end poverty, hunger and generally improve the livelihoods of farmers.

Speaking at the flag-off of the exercise in the Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday, the Trees Lead of the organisation, Zainab Haruna, explained that the gesture was to reduce the devastating effects of climate change in the state.

She narrated that tree planting was part of the avenues the organisation uses to support farmers to continue to feed themselves, their families and generally enjoy financial stability.

Haruna said, “We have seen changes in our lands as climate change continues to have negative effects on them by damaging nutrients within the soil and affecting rainfalls, among other challenges that our farmers face on a regular basis.

“We are offering this programme as a way to cushion them (farmers) from some of these effects, and to ensure that they are able to continue to get a harvest from their farmlands, while giving them alternative sources of income.

“The farmers will be able to harvest the trees when they reach maturity. Apart from the environmental benefits which include protecting their lands from erosion, they will be able to sell some of the trees for furniture purposes, among other benefits that they can get from it.”

Haruna emphasised that the seedlings were given to farmers at no cost, urging them to nurture the seedlings well.

The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Yakubu Kwanta, who was represented by the Director, Climate Change in the ministry, Angbashim Ishaku, commended One Acre Fund, Nigeria for the empowerment programe.

“By planting trees, the negative effects of climate change will be greatly reduced. I, therefore, call on the benefiting communities to plant the tree seedlings and nurture them to ensure that they mature at the appropriate time,” the commissioner said.