Stakeholders in the environment sector on Saturday, June 22, 2024, donated 120 trees to mitigate climate change impacts in Gasaki community of Nasarawa State.
Gee Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), on Social Justice and Development, made the donation during a one-day sensitisation.
The donation was in collaboration with the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) and the French Embassy in Nigeria,
The sensitisation had the theme: “Addressing Land Degradation and Enhancing Climate Resilience for improved Women’s livelihood”.
Dr Michael David, Executive-Director of GIFSEP, urged the community to always plant trees to replace felling trees and tasked them on climate change adaptation.
He cautioned against the indiscriminate felling of trees to prevent a recurrence of the recent landslide experienced in the area.
The executive director stated that it was good to preserve the land from degradation because livelihoods depended on it.
According to David, planting of trees prevents erosion, flooding, landslides which mitigates the impact of climate change in an area.
Mrs Gloria Agema, Executive Director, Gee Foundation, said the sensitisation wouldn’t have been possible without the supports of funds from the French Embassy.
Agema, who expressed concern that only one borehole was serving four communities, promised that the NGO would intervene by providing the community with more boreholes to assist nurture the trees planted.
Responding, Chief Zaki Tanko of Gasaki (Gasaki of Jeje), expressed satisfaction over the gestures and efforts made by the stakeholders to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the area.
He assured them that there would be reduction in the felling of trees and appealed for more construction of boreholes to address water scarcity in the area.
One of the beneficiaries in the community, Jummai Abubakar, commended the stakeholders and promised to nurture her tree.
“We are grateful for this assistance; no one has come to our aid in this manner; indeed, we have seen light in our community,” she said.
Each participant went home with a tree to plant and nurture.
The event witnessed the planting of palm trees, orange trees, mango trees as well as cultural display by the people of the community.
By Abigael Joshua
