Reported by Nedu OKORIE
In a bid to achieving sustainable development of land and water resources for future generations in Nigeria, the National project coordinator, Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), Mr. AbdulHamid Umar has stated the importance of having a strategic catchment management plan in order to restore a good number of degraded lands, making it cultivable, habitable, and usable for other purposes.
Mr. Umar who was ably represented by the ACReSAL water resources manager, Mr. Shettima stated this on Monday, August 4, 2025, at a stakeholders engagement forum on strategic catchment management plan, organised by the Kwara State ACReSAL project in collaboration with World Bank, through the International Development Association.
While disclosing that the project seeks to impact 3.4million direct beneficiaries, out of which 1.6million will be women, the ACReSAL boss said the project was not just about short term solutions, but a long term transformation, through leverage of the use of state-of-the-art technology.
The Kwara State ACReSAL project coordinator, Alh. Shamsideen Olatunbosun while making his address disclosed that the engagement which would involve meaningful conversations, knowledge sharing, and exploration of innovative solutions will run through the next 10 days, so as to ensure that relevant government and community stakeholders are carried along.
On her part, the Kwara State commissioner for environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa-Buge, retirated the essence of having a healthy and sustainable environment in order to mitigate issues arising from climate change.
The catchment management plans being developed are Malenda, Kaduna-Mariga, Gurara-Gbako, Oshin-Oyi, and Sarkin-Pawa-Kaduna, which are part of the 20 strategic catchment management plans being developed for Nigeria.
Also present at the engagement were Kwara State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural development, Dr. Afeez Abolore Alabi; Kwara State commissioner for water resources, Hon Usman Lade, Permanent secretaries, Emirs, royal father’s, other dignitaries, and participants.