President Muhammadu Buhari has
written an opinion article in Scientific American – in which more than 150
Nobel laureates have been published – that the Nigerian government is taking
action against the ecological breakdown that drives conflicts.
He explained in the article
title: Trees for Peace, that planting trees is part of the solution, and the
reason Nigeria is planting another 25 million, on top of the 1 million hectares
already reforested.
The article comes ahead of the
project launch later this month by the National Youth Climate Innovation Hub –
the organisation mobilising youth in the tree planting exercise. In tackling
these challenges, the government believes it is essential to involve young
people in the decision-making processes on climate action because, ultimately,
it is their future that shall be affected.
The tree planting is part of a
larger project: a Great Green Wall that shall stretch across the Sahel to hold
back desertification. The president argues to achieve this goal, the project
must be driven by communities, innovative climate financing solutions, and a
methodical planting based in ecological research.
Garba Shehu, President Buhari’s
spokesman teased with some excerpts from the article:
On the need to plant trees,
President Buhari stated: “Trees lend a base to build on. They aid water
retention in the ground; they shield the land from erosion; and they enrich
biodiversity, key for recycling the nutrients in the soil required to grow
crops. In the process, they underwrite food security.”
On herder-farmer clashes, he added:
“Critically, ecological
restoration reduces the threat of land disputes. In the dry season,
barren—often drought-stricken—pastureland in the Sahel forces nomadic herders
to drive their cattle further south to graze.”
On previous issuances of green
bonds, he stated: “Fortunately, these initial forays show a clear appetite for
this sort of investment, and we are currently working on further issuances.”
On the approach of the project,
he says: “those who manage the systems should be the community on the
frontline: the same people who will benefit from reforestation. We intend to
mobilize the youth in the planting, breeding a sense of ownership of their
region’s future and strengthening community bonds.”
Read the full article:
Trees for Peace
A desert is advancing on Nigeria
and its neighbours. Each year, the Sahel cuts deeper into the land, overtaking
farmlands, rupturing biodiversity and breeding insecurity. In my country, these
are the real-world ramifications of climate change happening now. And it is
time to fight back—with trees. We must use nature’s basic material (all too
often overlooked) for solutions to one of the continent’s greatest challenges.
At this year’s United Nations
special conference on climate change, I announced the planting of a further 25
million trees in Nigeria. It contributes toward a larger project: a Great Green
Wall stretching the breadth of the continent from Senegal to Djibouti. A
bulwark against climate change and ecological breakdown, it shall hold back the
advancing tide of dunes, restore biodiversity and healthy soils and serve as a
great carbon sink—soaking up the CO2 emissions that humans have already
released into the atmosphere.
Critically, ecological
restoration reduces the threat of land disputes. In the dry season,
barren—often drought-stricken—pastureland in the Sahel forces nomadic herders
to drive their cattle further south to graze. Here they come into conflict with
sedentary farmers, whose numbers have increased with exponential population
growth. Two livelihoods—one itinerant, one settled—compete for dwindling
resources and clashes break out; vast human and economic costs have been the
result. If this ecological breakdown continues unabated, it will only exacerbate
this competition for land.
Moreover, these tragedies are not
limited to Nigeria, but playing out across the breadth of the Sahel—perhaps the
region at the sharpest end of climate change. Nomadic herders are spread across
the entirety of this belt. All are being pushed further south in search of
water and into conflict with farmers.
Yet climate change is also
fomenting insecurity in other indirect ways: it is squeezing opportunity. Over
half the population of Nigeria is rural and agriculture is their mainstay.
Desertification dries and degrades soil, reducing or wholly destroying yields.
Droughts become persistent and food scarce.
With fewer resources to
share—less water, less food, less arable land—many are driven through
desperation to crime. In the state in which I grew up, cattle raiding,
kidnapping and banditry have all grown in severity simultaneously with the
weather. Crime shatters business, and a lack of economic hope deepens crime.
Breaking this cycle must therefore begin with providing opportunity.
Trees lend a base to build on.
They aid water retention in the ground; they shield the land from erosion; and
they enrich biodiversity, key for recycling the nutrients in the soil required
to grow crops. In the process, they underwrite food security. Fertile land and
ecological diversity are the life-support system of these communities. Through
enriching them, agriculture is strengthened, jobs are created, and rural
development is galvanized.
The logic of planting trees is
therefore obvious. Yet the task ahead is great: the Great Green Wall is a
project that stretches 8,000 kilometres. The question is how to translate lofty
plans into action.
Of course, funding is problematic
in the poorest continent on earth. Innovative financing solutions such as
sovereign green bonds present a path forward. In 2017, Nigeria became the first
African nation to issue one. In June, we issued another, and it was
oversubscribed. Fortunately, these initial forays show a clear appetite for
this sort of investment, and we are currently working on further issuances.
The logic of planting trees is therefore obvious. Yet the task ahead is
great: the Great Green Wall is a project that stretches 8,000 kilometres. The
question is how to translate lofty plans into action. Of course, funding is
problematic in the poorest continent on earth. Innovative financing solutions
such as sovereign green bonds present a path forward. In 2017, Nigeria became
the first African nation to issue one. In June, we issued another, and it was
oversubscribed. Fortunately, these initial forays show a clear appetite for
this sort of investment, and we are currently working on further issuances.
Second, tree planting must be
approached in an organized and methodical way. I grew up in the Sahel region.
Around my hometown, forest cover currently varies from a mere 0–1 percent of
the land. Yet it would be misguided to suddenly begin planting trees. Instead,
we must understand what is feasible. Discounting space for farmland and human
settlement, we can increase forest cover to 20–30 percent. It requires
assessing what the land can support: which mix of species combines best with a
particular area’s soil and climate, one that works with nature’s multiplier
effect. Reforesting monoculturally reduces resilience. Diversity, on the other
hand, secures a healthy and self-reproducing ecosystem.
Third, a community-driven
approach must be adopted. Because climate and conditions differ markedly over
not-too-great distances, those who manage the systems should be the community
on the frontline: the same people who will benefit from reforestation. We
intend to mobilize the youth in the planting, breeding a sense of ownership of
their region’s future and strengthening community bonds. For the more we
involve everyone in the decision-making processes, the stronger the support for
the project.
The time for solely cutting
emissions has ended. Sequestering the carbon already in the atmosphere must
move to the front of efforts and the best technology we have for this is trees.
Nature’s processes can heal what man has wrought. And in acting as a barrier to
an encroaching desert, it offers a gateway to collective peace and prosperity
across the Sahel.
*Muhammadu Buhari is President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
*Article originally Published in Scientific American
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com