Malam Ibrahim Jegudu, Director, Forestry, Kebbi State Ministry of Environment, on Monday said the State Government has planted one million tree seedlings to combat desertification across the state.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi, Jegudu said: “The programme was successful, I can remember, we produced about one million tree seedlings in the last two years.
”We distributed same to people and on yearly basis we usually seek the attention of government to produce assorted tree seedlings.
“Not only tree seedlings that are wind breakers, we also raise some food trees that can increase food bearing trees across the state such as mango, guava, pawpaw which we also give to local farmers.”
The Director recalled that some few years ago, Gov. Atiku Bagudu of the Kebbi bought some date and oil palm and donated it free to farmers to encourage plantation of trees especially economic trees.
“What we did then was to identify farmers that have clear agricultural development and distributed such trees to them, after assessment, we were able to pick up some farms that actually recorded enormous success.
“Even this year, we are making move by the approval of the governor to purchase various assorted plants that will also be distributed to local farmers all in an attempt to minimise desertification in the state,” he noted.
On indiscriminate felling of trees, the director stressed the importance of trees to human existence, adding that all religions preach and encourage tree planting. (NAN)
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