The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the Pan African Agencies of Great Green Wall (GGW) on Tuesday called on stakeholders to collaborate for effective implementation of GGW projects across African continent.
NCF Director-General, Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano, made this call at a workshop for the integration of biodiversity in the Actions of the GGW, in Abuja.
The workshop was organised by NCF for National Agencies and Civil Society Organisations partners of BirdLife International, under the aegis, Pan-African Agency of the GGW.
The theme of the workshop was entitled: “Make the Sahel Greater and Greener for Nature and People’’.
According to Aminu-Kano, Nigeria is one of the countries of GGW initiative, faced with challenges of land degradation, drought and climate change among others in 11 frontline states.
The GGW initiative aims to address the issues of desertification, land degradation, bio-diversity loss, promote climate change resilience by ecosystems and communities, and improve food security in the about 11 countries of the Sahel region in Africa.
Aminu-Kano said the workshop was to deliberate on how GGW project could be implemented effectively, through the framework and tools provided to address the environmental challenges.
He said NCF as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), dedicated to nature conservation and sustainable development, required CSOs, private sectors and other stakeholders to collaborate to tackle environmental challenges through efficient implementation of GGW.
“We have been deliberating on the framework from various stakeholders which will thereby, help improve efficiency and encourage the collaboration with tools that will offer accountability and support to review work processes.
“We sat down with some of the African heads of the GGW from various countries to deliberate on the framework on Memorandum of Understanding that has been signed between the agencies of the GGW, the CSOs and other stakeholders,’’ he said.
Aminu-Kano said the collaboration was also to engage in effective community sensitisation, adding that such would support in achieving the objective of GGW project.
Dr Yusuf Bukar, Director-General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), said that the meeting was to exchange ideas and knowledge on better ways to implement the project.
He said that the agency was established to restore degraded land and other environmental challenges which had been major issues preventing socio-economic growth in the Northern part of the country.
The Director-General, Sudan NAGGW, Dr Sawsan Mustafa, said that the meeting would go a long way to address the environmental issues being faced in Africa.
He said that the collaboration by relevant stakeholders would provide opportunity for effective communication, adding that the workshop would improve such communication, as it would enhance the implementation of the project.
Mr Gora Diop, Director-General, Senegal, NAGGW, said that the agencies needed to work with other stakeholders in their various countries to achieve the mandates of GGW.
Mr Jean-Baptiste Deffontaines, Head of West Africa Sub-region office, BirdLife International, said that the meeting would also deliberate on how to protect birdlife and other wildlife in African continent. (NAN
