Katsina targets 11 million trees to fight desertification

Katsina State government has launched a campaign to plant 11 million trees by 2031, as Governor Dikko Umar Radda, steps up efforts to combat climate change, protect farmlands and boost food security.

The initiative, tagged Katsina One Tree per Person (KT-1T), will cover all the 34 local government areas, with two million trees targeted for planting in 2026.

Radda urged residents to embrace the initiative stressing that planting and protecting trees must become a shared responsibility.

He said the programme would restore degraded land, reduce erosion and wind damage, improve soil fertility, raise agricultural productivity and increase farmers’ incomes.

The governor also called on traditional rulers, farmers, community leaders and other stakeholders to support the campaign, as the survival of planted trees was as important as meeting planting targets.

He highlighted steps taken by his administration to strengthen climate action, including the adoption of a state climate change policy and the establishment of a State Climate Change Council (SCCC).

Representing the Minister of Environment, Director-General of the Greenwall Agency, Mallam Balarabe Abbas, stated that the Federal Government would encourage other states to adopt the initiative.

Abbas described desertification and environmental degradation as major threats to communities across Nigeria and Africa.

He warned that previous tree-planting campaigns failed because of poor seedling maintenance, weak monitoring and limited community participation.

He stressed the need to protect young trees, replace those that die and sustain monitoring to ensure lasting results.

Earlier, Special Adviser on Climate Change, Professor Al’amin Mohammed, said the programme demonstrated the governor’s commitment to restoring ecosystems and managing natural resources sustainably.

He stated that the state’s climate change institutions would help coordinate efforts to address environmental challenges.

The initiative comes as desertification, land degradation and changing rainfall patterns continue to threaten farming and rural livelihoods across northern Nigeria.

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Meeting the 11-million-tree target by 2031 will depend on sustained public participation, effective monitoring and ensuring that planted trees survive and thrive.

Director-General of the Greenwall Agency, Mallam Balarabe Abbas, stated that the Federal Government would encourage other states to adopt the initiative.