By Juliet Umeh

The Federal Government, FG, has announced its intention to leverage the World Bank-supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape, ACReSAL, Project as a key strategy to increase food security across Nigeria.

ACReSAL is a multi-faceted interventionist initiative championed by the Federal Government, under the leadership of the Ministers of Environment, Agriculture, and Water Resources, and with the active participation of the 19 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, disclosed this during the ACReSAL Project-Wide Retreat for Steering and Technical Committees.

He said: “The ACReSAL initiative directly addresses the severe impacts of climate change, particularly desert encroachment and land degradation prevalent in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

“We believe that rainwater harvesting is a significant area where ACReSAL could expand its efforts by promoting all-season farming, reducing reliance on rain-fed agriculture and consistent water availability to benefit the restoration of forests.”

The Minister acknowledged ACRESAL’s existing successes in enhancing food security and restoring degraded land. However, he further suggested that a stronger focus on rainwater harvesting could transform the challenge of devastating floods into a valuable resource for both agriculture and environmental sustainability.

Also, the Minister of State for Agriculture & Food Security, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, said: “Through collective efforts, we have empowered communities to adopt climate-resilient practices, revitalized degraded lands, and strengthened food systems in 19 states and the FCT.

“By tackling land degradation and climate challenges, we are not only securing livelihoods but also building a foundation for a more prosperous and resilient Nigeria,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Task Team Leader for ACReSAL and Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank, Dr. Joy Agene, has conveyed her positive assessment of the ACReSAL Project, stating that its performance in the initial two years has been satisfactory, with tangible benefits already being felt across participating states.

In her welcome remarks, Agene said: “Today we can say, after two years, the ship has sailed and we have delivered almost 200,000 degraded landscapes out of 1 million Project target.“