Mercy Corps, a non-governmental organisation in Katsina State, has distributed 150 tree seedlings to the Daddara community in Jibia Local Government Area, a region facing severe desertification and environmental challenges.
The distribution, held on Thursday, was part of the NGO’s Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation in Northwest Nigeria (CMCR) project, funded by the European Union (EU). The event was organised in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy Development (CDD) and the United Nations Migration (IOM).
Mercy Corps’ Programme Manager, Philip Ikita, represented by Natural Resource Management Advisor Paul Mafulul, explained that the initiative was in response to community requests during World Wildlife and World Environment Day celebrations. The project aims to combat climate change and educate the community on tree planting and care to mitigate desertification.
“The programme not only provides seedlings but also raises awareness about the importance of tree planting in fighting climate change in Katsina State,” Mafulul said.
Nura Abubakar, Director of Waste Management at the Katsina State Ministry of Environment, praised the effort, stressing that it would contribute significantly to addressing environmental issues. He highlighted the state government’s ongoing efforts to tackle climate change, reaffirming its commitment to working with organisations like Mercy Corps to ensure a safer environment.
Katsina State Commissioner for Water Resources, Muktar Aliyu, welcomed the initiative, emphasizing its importance in addressing desertification. He reiterated that Jibia, a region severely impacted by desertification, was chosen deliberately for the exercise.
During the event, participants were urged to apply the knowledge gained to protect their environment from the worsening effects of desertification.
