Over 930, 000 persons benefit from ACReSAL Projects in Gombe

Mr Mohammed Fawu, the Gombe State Commissioner of Water, Environment and Forest Resources, has stated that no fewer than 930,162 persons across the state have benefitted from the implementation of the World-Bank-funded Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project in the state within the past three years.

Fawu stated this in Gombe on Monday while declaring open a four-day training of enumerators for ACReSAL Third Party Assessment.

Fawu stated that Gombe State has within the three years received disbursements amounting to $27.51 million for the implementation of the project which had impacted positively on the lives of residents.

He said that the projects so far implemented have contributed to combating land degradation, erosion, and climate change while improving on the lives of persons living around communities were projects were executed.

“Gombe State has advanced a wide range of landscape and community-level interventions, including: establishment of 313 hectares of woodlot plantation.

“Upgrading of Kanawa Forest into a biosphere resort and botanical garden, indigenous tree plantations and roadside shelterbelts spanning 110 kilometres.

“Canalization of Balanga Dam irrigation channels covering 6,329 hectares provision of 250 wash boreholes to support irrigation farming.

“ At the community level, we have distributed clean cook stoves to 3,000 households, provided rainwater harvesting facilities to 1,000 households and institutions, and supplied drought-tolerant seeds to 10,000 farmers.

“Solar-powered irrigation schemes, borehole drilling, and Community Revolving Fund activities are ongoing, supporting agro-processing, livestock, and farm enterprise development,” he said.

He added that ACReSAL has strengthened smart agricultural practices through the establishment a farm centre dedicated to training and research.

Fawu commended the partnership between the Gombe State government and World Bank, which he said has impacted several sectors while improving the livelihoods of residents of Gombe State.

On his part, Dr Sani Jauro, the Gombe State ACReSAL Project coordinator said that no fewer than 220 enumerators drawn from the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory were being trained.

Jauro said that the third-party assessment would ensure unbiased review of the projects so far implemented by ACReSAL from independent party.

He said the assessment was part of the procedure of ACReSAL project implementation meant to review the progress and challenges of the projects by enumerators who are not involved in the day-to-day running of ACReSAL projects.

Jauro urged the enumerators to carry out their jobs with fairness and be just in their report, adding that “the credibility of the exercise lies on your shoulder.”

On her part, the World Bank Task Team Leader, Dr. Joy Agene who was represented by Mr Joseph Abang, Operations Officer with World Bank said the assessment would unravel what has changed since the commencement of the implementation of the project.

Agene urged the enumerators to be steadfast and report accurately in line with the essence of the exercise.