Abuja, Nigeria – Dr. Marcus O. Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has commended the ACReSAL Project for its impressive achievements, emphasizing the need for greater synergy to maximize its impact.
During a working visit by the ACReSAL Federal Project Management Unit, led by National Project Coordinator Abdulhamid Umar, Dr. Ogunbiyi praised the project’s progress, saying, “I am really impressed with the milestones you have covered within a short time, and I expect more achievements soon.”
Dr. Ogunbiyi noted that the ACReSAL Project’s goals align with the Ministry’s objectives, particularly in improving agricultural production and enhancing livelihoods through landscapes restoration and water resources management.
He stressed that collaboration is essential to ensure the project’s impact is felt by Nigerians, and assured that the Ministry will continue to provide support to help the project achieve its development objectives.
The National Project Coordinator, Abdulhamid Umar, while presenting the project progress report, disclosed that the ACReSAL Project aims to restore 1 million hectares of degraded land by 2028, as part of the Federal Government’s global commitment to restore 4 million hectares by 2030.
To achieve this ambitious target, the ACReSAL Project has partnered with international organizations like the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Umar also highlighted the project’s institutional arrangements, noting that the Minister for Agriculture plays a crucial role in steering the project, while the Permanent Secretary provides direct supervisory oversight and technical guidance that escalates to the steering committee level.
The project’s four interconnected components include agriculture-related interventions, with the Community Revolving Fund (CRF) disbursed to 623 communities across 14 states presently to promote climate-resilient agricultural practices, Umar said .
As of the latest update, the ACReSAL Project has successfully restored over 170,000 hectares of degraded landscapes and benefited more than 1 million people. With the Ministry’s continued support, the project is poised to achieve its development objectives and make a lasting impact on Nigeria’s environmental, water resources and agricultural sectors
ACReSAL…. greening the environment, saving lives
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