Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has officially launched a 5.5 million tree‑seedling distribution across all 44 local government areas—an initiative aimed at halting desert encroachment and restoring degraded land. The ceremony took place on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at the Yanbawa Shelter Belt in Makoda LGA—originally established in 1972 and recently rehabilitated under the state’s agro‑climatic agenda.
“This campaign is not just about planting trees; it is about planting hope for the future,” the Governor declared. “By working together, we can combat desertification, restore our natural ecosystems, and protect future generations.
Deputy Governors officially received the seedlings for onward delivery to schools, mosques and churches, communal farmlands, and public open spaces. Governor Yusuf instructed each LGA chairman to establish Tree Planting Committees under the Agriculture Department to oversee on‑the‑ground planting, watering, and survival monitoring at ward and community levels.
According to Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change Dr Dahiru Muhammad Hashim, the 2025 drive more than doubles last year’s use of approximately 3 million seedlings, reflecting the Governor’s intensified environmental focus.
All seedlings are being supplied from now fully rehabilitated state‑run nurseries: Mai Nikka in Gwarzo LGA and Kafinciri in Garko LGA. These were previously moribund until revived under the Agro‑Climatic Resilience in Semi‑Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project—a World Bank–funded effort aiming to restore dryland eco‑livelihoods across northern Nigeria.
So far, over 250,000 hectares of degraded land have already been reclaimed under ACReSAL—part of a longer‑term plan to reach at least 1 million hectares by 2028.
The planting drive comes as bold policy support for climate resilience and agroforestry, aiming to create green buffers against wind erosion and desert winds. Each LGA committee will submit monthly survival reports, while schools and ministries receive seedlings for educational and civic planting projects.
Traditional leaders, youth groups, and civil society organisations have been called to actively engage. As Deputy Governor Aminu Abdulsalam noted, “Tree planting is not only environmentally necessary—it is spiritually rewarded.
With desertification advancing across northern Nigeria at an estimated 0.6 km annually and impacting up to 75% of Kano State, the success of this campaign could turn the tide.
If the state achieves its 90% survival rate target, approximately 4.95 million new trees could take root by early 2026—marking a significant shift in local climate adaptation and rural restoration efforts.
This initiative reflects an increasingly climate-smart model for environmental governance—one that local bloggers, activists, and policymakers should follow closely.
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