Katsina State Government says it is targeting the planting and nurturing of 11 million trees across the state by 2030, beginning with two million trees in 2026, under its Katsina-One-Tree Initiative.
Governor Dikko Radda announced the target on Monday during the flag-off of the initiative at Ladanawa, Rimi Local Government Area of the state.
He said the programme would cover all 34 local government areas and 6,652 Climate Intervention Areas across the state.
“Our target is clear: 11 million trees by 2030, beginning with two million trees in 2026. Our message is simple: One Person, One Tree, One Responsibility..
“A seedling distributed is an opportunity. A tree that survives is an achievement. We will not count ceremonies; we will count living trees,” according to Radda.
Radda said environmental protection is essential to agricultural productivity, food security and sustainable development, warning that desertification, climate change and flooding pose serious threats to livelihoods and community stability.
“Climate risk is a poverty issue. It drives up food prices, empties granaries, fuels conflict over land and water, and pushes young people out of our villages.
“Trees help protect farmlands against wind erosion, improve soil fertility, provide fruits and animal fodder, and create additional income opportunities for rural communities.
“The administration’s environmental governance initiatives, including the State Climate Change Policy, the establishment of the State Council on Climate Change and climate expenditure tracking across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and local government councils.
“Katsina’s first-place ranking among Nigeria’s 36 states in the 2025 Sub-national Climate Governance Performance Ranking and recognition by the Forestry Association of Nigeria for its environmental governance efforts,” he highlighted.
Radda said interventions under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACRESAL) project, implemented in collaboration with the World Bank and the Federal Government, included stormwater drainage projects in Katsina metropolis and riverbank protection works in Jibia.
He further explained that the projects were helping communities strengthen their resilience against flooding and other climate-related risks.
To ensure effective implementation of the tree-planting campaign, the governor announced the establishment of a Central Steering Committee, three zonal monitoring committees covering Katsina, Daura and Funtua, as well as supervisory committees at local government and implementation committees at ward levels.
He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, farmers, pastoralists, women, youths and community leaders to take ownership of the initiative.
“Governments can start a campaign, but only people can sustain it,” Radda said, urging residents to plant, water, protect and monitor seedlings and replace those that failed to survive.
The governor also directed schools, health facilities, MDAs and local governments to participate in the campaign.
He encouraged more than 3,800 schools in the state to organise tree-planting activities and promote environmental awareness among pupils.
Hospitals, primary healthcare centres, government offices and local government secretariats were similarly urged to plant and maintain trees within their premises.
On accountability, Radda called for transparent implementation, accurate registration and proper financial management, warning that committees must deliver measurable results.
He also urged residents to reduce their dependence on firewood and charcoal, particularly as the harmattan season approaches, and adopt cleaner cooking alternatives.
“I urge every household to embrace clean cooking: gas, improved cookstoves and other clean technologies. This government is working with partners to make clean cooking more affordable and available,” he said.
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, Alhaji Saleh Abubakar, who represented the Minister of Agriculture, Balarabe Hassan, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to combating desertification and restoring degraded lands.
Abubakar said the initiative would strengthen collaboration between the federal and state governments through technical support, institutional cooperation and spatial monitoring systems.
He explained that the monitoring systems would help track progress and improve environmental data for national climate records and carbon-finance frameworks.
He urged traditional rulers, community leaders, women and young people to take ownership of the programme, describing grassroots participation as essential to achieving lasting environmental and socioeconomic benefits.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate Change, Prof. Al’Ameen Muhammad, said the initiative aligned with the administration’s Building Your Future Strategic Policy, particularly its focus on natural resource management, ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation.
Muhammad said the programme would mobilise residents to plant and nurture 11 million trees by 2030 through seedling production and distribution, volunteer registration, monitoring and community participation.
He added that the initiative was expected to promote food security, agricultural development, employment generation and potential revenue from carbon credits.
He urged residents to ensure that planted trees were properly nurtured and protected.
Similarly, the Executive Chairman of Rimi Local Government Area, Hon. Muhammad Ali, commended Radda for introducing the initiative, describing it as an important intervention against desertification, land degradation and climate change.
Ali pledged to mobilise traditional rulers, councillors, youth and women’s groups, farmers, schools and other stakeholders to support tree planting and maintenance across the local government’s wards.
He said communities must go beyond planting seedlings to ensure their survival and maturity, assuring the governor of the local government’s commitment to achieving the 2030 target.
The event was attended by members of the State Executive Council, traditional rulers, APC leaders, local government chairmen, councillors, religious leaders, community representatives and climate and environmental stakeholders.