The Arbori Green Earth Foundation has unveiled a major environmental intervention aimed at reversing desertification and strengthening climate resilience across three northern states, with a focus on restoring degraded lands and improving livelihoods in vulnerable communities.
The project, known as the Community-Led Desert Reversal Initiative (CLDRI), is a 24-month programme that will be implemented in Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno states. The initiative seeks to tackle the growing threat of desert encroachment and climate change through sustainable land restoration, community participation, and the promotion of climate-smart economic activities.
Speaking on the initiative in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, Mustapha Shehu, the President of the foundation, said Northern Nigeria continues to face severe ecological challenges caused by desertification, unsustainable land-use practices, and climate variability. He noted that an estimated 35 per cent of land in the three states is under threat from advancing desert conditions, affecting the livelihoods of more than 10 million people.
The worsening environmental situation has contributed to declining agricultural productivity, food insecurity, poverty, and migration pressures in many rural communities.
While acknowledging ongoing interventions under the Federal Government’s Great Green Wall programme and various state environmental projects, the foundation observed that many efforts have been constrained by inadequate funding and limited community ownership.
The CLDRI project is designed to bridge this gap by placing local communities at the centre of restoration efforts. The initiative combines scientific land restoration methods with indigenous knowledge to ensure that communities not only participate in the process but also take ownership of long-term environmental management.
Under the programme, the foundation plans to restore 1,000 hectares of degraded land using Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) and agroforestry techniques. Ten community nurseries will also be established to produce about 500,000 tree seedlings for planting across the affected areas.
In addition, no fewer than 2,000 beneficiaries will receive training in green enterprise development, creating opportunities for sustainable livelihoods while promoting environmental conservation.
According to the foundation, the project is expected to improve soil fertility, increase vegetation cover, enhance water retention, and strengthen the resilience of local communities to the impacts of climate change.
The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s efforts to combat desertification through the Great Green Wall programme and contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 13 on Climate Action and Goal 15 on Life on Land.
Environmental experts have repeatedly warned that unless urgent action is taken to restore degraded ecosystems, desertification could further undermine food production and economic stability across Northern Nigeria. The Arbori Green Earth Foundation believes the community-driven approach adopted under CLDRI offers a sustainable pathway for reversing land degradation while improving the well-being of affected populations.
, is a 24-month programme that will be implemented in Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno states. The initiative seeks to tackle the growing threat of desert encroachment and climate change through sustainable land restoration, community participation, and the promotion of climate-smart economic activities.){kind=link}