By Abdullahi Jalalludeen
The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project has commenced moves to accelerate the implementation of Strategic Catchment Management Plans (CMPs) in the Hadejia-Jama’are Basin.
The Water Resources Specialist of ACReSAL, Mr Shetima Adam, disclosed this while representing the National Coordinator of the project, Abdulhamid Umar, at the opening of a two-day stakeholders’ engagement on the accelerated implementation of strategic catchment management plans in Kano.
Adam said the meeting was a follow-up to recommendations contained in the catchment management plans, noting that each catchment had peculiar challenges and recommendations requiring specific interventions.
He said the Hadejia-Jama’are Basin was selected for the pilot implementation because of its complexity, importance and the level of interest surrounding the catchment, which cuts across about seven states.
According to him, the engagement brought together stakeholders from the affected states, development partners, academia, traditional institutions and other relevant organisations to identify and prioritise investments that would have immediate impact within the catchment.
“We need the recommendations and inputs of the stakeholders into this document so that our investments will be based on their priorities and we can effectively implement the identified activities within the catchment,” he said.
Adam explained that following the stakeholders’ inputs, the project would proceed to the implementation stage, with emphasis on restoring ecosystems, improving livelihoods and sustainably managing natural resources within the catchment.
He specifically mentioned the Nguru Wetlands and other ecosystems within the Hadejia-Jama’are Basin as areas requiring interventions to enhance environmental sustainability and improve the livelihoods of communities.
Also speaking, the Project Coordinator of ACReSAL in Bauchi State, Dr Ibrahim Kabir, said the stakeholders’ meeting would provide an opportunity for participants to contribute to the implementation of the ACReSAL programme.
Kabir said the meeting was also aimed at assessing the level of achievements recorded under the project and fine-tuning strategies for addressing challenges affecting implementation.
He said the two-day engagement attracted stakeholders from various states where the ACReSAL project was being implemented, with a view to strengthening collaboration and ensuring effective implementation of the catchment management plans.
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