14th November, 2017
About 4.5 million tree seedlings were planted and maintained in Katsina State under the Improved Fuel Wood Balance project supported by the European Union (EU).
Dr Chris Udoke, the Project Manager in the state, disclosed this on Tuesday in Katsina, at the third Annual National Review Seminar.
He said that the trees were planted in Rimi, Batsari, Jibia, Batagarawa, Daura, Baure, Sandamu, Mai’adua, Zango, Mashi and Kaita Local Government Areas of the state.
The manager said that about 7,500 farmlands with total of 48,000 hectares were covered so far.
Udoke noted that 5.5 million trees were expected to be planted in five years.
He further said that project was designed to improve the lives of at least 275,000 people, who were the target beneficiaries.
The manager added that 23,000 Mud Efficiently Stoves were made available and sold to people in the areas.
He said that the project had assisted in creating jobs to youths and women, thereby reducing poverty among them.
Udoke, however, revealed that the project assisted greatly in reducing indiscriminate feeling of trees by making people to use such stoves as source of energy at affordable rate.
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According to him, the project also drilled seven boreholes in some communities in the benefiting local government areas in the state.
In his remarks, the state’s Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Hamza Suleiman, said that the state government paid N59 million counterpart funds for the project.
He said the government also purchased 34,000 Improved Mud Wood Stoves for distribution to people as part of efforts to discourage tree felling for firewood.
Suleiman added that the project would assist to reduce effects of climate change, which remains major factor affecting environment and crops.