By: Mayen Etim

KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Ahead of the 2022 Africa Climate Week, (ACW), Teku International Farms, Kaduna has said it is embarking on a heat resistant tree planting exercise in the state to combat global warming, desertification, deforestation and environmental degradation.

Founder of Teku International Farms, Ibrahim Salisu, disclosed during an interview with Journalists in Kaduna on Thursday.

Salisu expressed disappoinment over the increasing number of trees fell for commercial businesses like charcoal, firewood and timber without replanting them for the future.

He said afforestation is one of the best tool to fight climate crisis across the planet, and hence the need to sustain the hype on the fight against global warming and other ecological challenges.

He added that the aim of the exercise is to plant more trees that are resistant to hot weather and temperature in the desert for the purpose of creating more forest to reduce desertification in the northern Nigeria.

According him, Teku International Farms had introduced a new way of planting trees on desert land and hills to reduce global warming and environmental challenges.

A science and environmental Journalist, and Head of International Languages and Communication working with African Climate Reporters, Ibrahima Pima Yakubu, said Nigeria is losing large hectares of arable land due to climate change and environmental degradation.

He said there were reports on how Nigeria is losing her forestry through loggers’ activities like the Global Forest Watch, a platform that provides  data and monitors forests recorded that, “From 2001 to 2021, Nigeria lost 1.14 million hectares of tree cover, equivalent to a 11 per cent decrease in tree cover since 2000 and equal to 587 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions,” adding “majority of the lodgers uses axe and machete to cut down forest in large quantities.”

The Head of International Languages and Communication expert, called for a ban on importation of trees, wild life hunting and bush burning; as well as massive tree planting campaigns across the 36 states of Nigeria, reiterating that, “There should be a tougher punishment for illegal miners.”

The ACW 2022 will be held from August 29 to 2 September 2, 2022 in Gabon. The Week would provide opportunities for horticulturists to mobilize youth and women to join in the campaign for planting millions of trees.

ACW 2022 will engage and empower stakeholders to drive climate action across countries, communities and economies.