FG to distribute 5m date palm seedlings to 11 states

The federal government has procured five million date palm seedlings for distribution to 11 states across the country.

The Director General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Alhaji Saleh Abubakar, made this known to newsmen in Damaturu during an advocacy visit to traditional rulers in Yobe State.

He said the five million date palm seedlings, once matured and harvested, would significantly boost economic activities in the 11 frontline states affected by desertification.

SPONSOR AD

According to him, the initiative targets 11 northern states, which are severely affected by land degradation caused by desert encroachment.

They are Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, and Borno.

“We believe each of these trees can yield up to one million naira worth of dates annually. So, if you have 20 trees, for example, you could earn up to 20 million naira.

“These date palms produce fruit twice a year, and they take about four years to mature. We estimate that when these trees begin production, they could inject at least N300 billion into the Nigerian economy,” he said.

The DG also revealed that the agency plans to plant 350,000 neem trees in Yobe State during the current planting season to help combat the impacts of climate change.

Alhaji Saleh noted that human activities have greatly contributed to environmental degradation and emphasised the need to take corrective measures through reforestation.

In their responses, the Emirs of Damaturu, Fune, and Potiskum pledged to safeguard their environments against illegal deforestation.

They also appealed to the federal, state, and local governments to recruit environmental protection guards who can help prevent deforestation and other activities that threaten the ecosystem.