From Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu
The North East Arid Zone Development Programme (NEAZDP) and the Federal University Gashua (FUGA) have strengthened their partnership on environmental sustainability and climate resilience through the Green Code Initiative.
Under the partnership, NEAZDP has been allocated a six-kilometre stretch of land along the perimeter fence of FUGA for the establishment of a shelterbelt plantation aimed at combating desertification and restoring degraded land.
The Programme Manager of NEAZDP, Dr. Mulima Idi Mato, said the shelterbelt would serve as a protective green barrier to reduce wind velocity, control soil erosion, improve microclimatic conditions and mitigate the effects of desertification within and around the university environment.
Mato said the plantation would comprise drought-resistant and environmentally suitable tree species capable of adapting to the semi-arid conditions of Yobe State.
He explained that the initiative would also contribute to biodiversity conservation and land restoration.
> “Under the Green Code Initiative, each planted tree is assigned a unique code containing information such as the planter’s name, botanical and local names of the tree species, date of planting, and its ecological, economic or medicinal importance,” Mato said.
According to him, the coding system is designed to promote accountability, ownership and long-term monitoring of the trees, particularly among students and staff of the university.
He added that the partnership would provide opportunities for research, learning and practical engagement in climate change, forestry, environmental management and ecosystem restoration.
NEAZDP Completes Tree Planting in Nine Yobe LGAs
Meanwhile, NEAZDP has completed its tree-planting exercise across the nine Local Government Areas within its operational mandate in Yobe State.
The affected LGAs are Bade, Bursari, Geidam, Jakusko, Karasuwa, Machina, Nguru, Yunusari and Yusufari.
The exercise focused on environmental restoration, sustainability and community ownership, with plantation sites selected to facilitate proper nurturing, protection and long-term maintenance of the seedlings.
The selected locations include educational institutions, residential quarters, healthcare facilities and individual households, encouraging wider community participation and shared responsibility for environmental protection.
Mato said the initiative was expected to increase green cover, restore degraded lands, improve microclimatic conditions and contribute to climate-change mitigation across the region.
He said beneficiaries and host communities had also been sensitised on the importance of caring for the seedlings and encouraged to nurture them to maturity for lasting ecological and socio-economic benefits.
NEAZDP further encouraged individuals and groups to obtain seedlings free of charge for planting at locations of their choice as part of efforts to promote environmental conservation and ecosystem restoration.
The collaboration between NEAZDP and FUGA is expected to provide a model for institutional partnerships in sustainable land management, environmental education and climate action in Nigeria’s semi-arid region.
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