As part of efforts to combat desertification, land degradation, and drought in the country, the Minister of Environment, Engr. Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has stressed the need for a holistic approach by reviewing the National Policy on Drought and Desertification.
The Minister made the call at a workshop to review the National Policy on drought and desertification in Abuja
According to him, desertification, land degradation, and drought are global challenges that aggravate economic, social, and environmental problems such as poverty, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and forced migration.
Engr. Lawal disclosed that Nigeria is not exempted from these challenges, with an estimated 50-75% of some states in the country affected by desertification.
He maintained that the policy review must take into consideration emerging environmental concerns and gaps that need to be bridged.
He noted that the reviewed policy document must be based on participatory and bottom-up approaches, with decisions taken with the full participation of every stakeholder, including affected communities.
The Minister highlighted the importance of basic principles such as precautionary and proactive measures, inter and intra-generational equity, sustainable development, and gender equity in the policy review.
He equally stressed the need for the policy to take cognizance of policies on agriculture, mining, urban development, climate change, and other relevant sectors.
The Minister thanked the World Bank for providing financial support for the policy review through the ACReSAL Project.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mahmud Adam Kabari, tasked the stakeholders to actively participate in the review process and work together to craft a policy that will mitigate the threats of drought and desertification and unlock the potential for a more resilient, prosperous, and sustainable Nigeria.