World Bank backs northern Nigeria land restoration with $500m

The World Bank has approved $500 million in additional financing to help Nigeria restore degraded land and strengthen resilience to flooding across the north, according to PUNCH’s November 12 report.

The funding is for the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes project, known as ACReSAL. Its coverage includes 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Citing a World Bank statement, the newspaper reported targets of restoring 1.4 million hectares and benefiting about 6.6 million people by 2031. These are intended outcomes of the financing, rather than results already delivered.

The intervention includes watershed rehabilitation, erosion control and improved management of natural resources. It also seeks to reduce pressures contributing to disputes between farmers, herders and other rural communities.

For affected areas, the significance will depend on which sites receive work and how restoration is maintained. Financing approval establishes backing for the programme; implementation will determine whether farms and settlements become less exposed to environmental damage.

Source: PUNCH.

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