World Desertification Day: 35% of Nigeria Land Mass Risk desertification – FG says
The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar on Wednesday disclosed that 35 percent of the total land area in Nigeria which is 323,319kmsq is threatened by desertification.
Dr. Mohammed while speaking at the celebration of the 2020 World desertification in Abuja, noted that the 323,319kmsq include the drylands zones lying between Latitude 100 N and 140N covering the 11 frontline states is most vulnerable to drought, land degradation and desertification due to its fragile ecosystem.
The Minister added that Extreme weather variation and unsustainable resources management became more threatened with the impacts of climate change, overgrazing, and unsustainable agricultural practices.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mohammed stated that unfortunately, while agriculture remains the driver of land degradation, a large percentage of what is produced is always wasted.
Similarly, he said taking cognizance of the fragile nature of the dryland which has many economic potentials and a population of about 40 million people who depend mainly on the land resources for their livelihood, the increase in demand for energy, food, fibre and the likes, exerts great pressure on the limited land resources.
This effect according to Dr. Mohammed has led to the degradation and depletion of the resources thereby increasing the threat to food and water and water security, livelihood and sustainability of life, encouraging biodiversity loss, forced migration and promotion of resource use conflicts making communities more vulnerable to climate impacts.
Also, the minister said the theme:’ Food, Feed and Fibre’ for the 2020 World Desertification and Drought Day is aimed at drawing public attention to the impacts of man`s activities on land resources in the quest to provide Food, Feed and Fiber the teeming population.
However, Dr. Mohammed stated the Federal Government is not resting on his oars as it is has made a tremendous effort towards checking the menace of desertification through the development of policies and building institutional and legislative capacities to enhance effective and far reaching actions.
He added that when we sustainably manage our environment, our food and water security will be assured; our livelihood, welfare and ecosystem services are sustained and our future will also be assured,
“ It is very necessary now than ever to adopt now than ever to adopt new attitudes in managing our limited land resources by working in harmony with nature, avoid wastage, restore degraded land and ecosystem, also by avoiding land degradation, deforestation, bush burning, over cultivation, overgrazing and adoption of smart agriculture practices and agroforestry”.
The Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor who was represented by the Director, Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Management, Mabel Emmanuel on her own part said that the Desertification and Drought Day is the day to challenge ourselves and ensure that the target to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality which is the key to address the problems of land degradation and desertification is achievable.
Mrs. Ikeazor added that the feat is achievable with community involvement and cooperation of stakeholders at all levels by applying stringent measures to sustainably manage our limited land resources, halt and reverse land degradation, reclaim, rehabilitate and restore degraded lands.
“This calls for a change in attitude in the ways we have been unsustainably managing our limited land resources” She said.
According to Mrs Ikeazor , desertification, land degradation and drought have been considered as drivers of emerging disease outbreaks as they also lead to the loss of animal habitats, hence, bringing them closer to humans causing animals to human`s transmission and spread of diseases as suspected in the cases of Lasser fever, SARS/Birdflu and now Corona Virus disease.
Meanwhile, the Mrs Ikeazor maintained that as the lockdown is being lifted in the country and all over the world, caution should be applied as we resume our activities so as to build back better, stronger and smarter in the post COVID-19 pandemic era.