ACReSAL Moves to Restore Hadejia-Jama’are Basin

The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project has commenced moves to accelerate the implementation of Strategic Catchment Management Plans (CMPs) in the Hadejia-Jama’are Basin.

The Water Resources Specialist of ACReSAL, Mr Shetima Adam, disclosed this at a two-day stakeholders’ engagement on the accelerated implementation of strategic catchment management plans held in Kano.

Adam, who represented the National Coordinator of ACReSAL, Abdulhamid Umar, said the meeting was a follow-up to recommendations contained in the Catchment Management Plans developed for various catchments.

He explained that each catchment had its peculiar challenges and recommendations, hence the need to involve stakeholders in identifying and prioritising interventions that would have the greatest impact.

According to him, Hadejia-Jama’are Basin was selected for the pilot intervention because of its complexity, importance and the number of states covered by the catchment.

He said the basin cuts across about seven states, making it necessary to bring together stakeholders from the affected states, development partners, academia, traditional institutions and other relevant organisations.

“We want to get inputs from the stakeholders so that investments within the catchment will be based on their priorities and the identified needs of the communities.

“As soon as we get the inputs of the stakeholders, the next step is implementation,” Adam said.
He said the project would focus on restoring ecosystems, improving livelihoods and promoting sustainable management of natural resources within the catchment.

Adam noted that the Nguru Wetlands and other important ecosystems were located within the Hadejia-Jama’are catchment, stressing the need for coordinated interventions to protect the environment and improve the livelihoods of communities.

He said the engagement also provided an opportunity for traditional rulers, commissioners, permanent secretaries and other stakeholders to contribute to the development and implementation of interventions under the catchment management plan.

Also speaking, the ACReSAL Project Coordinator in Bauchi State, Dr Ibrahim Kabir, said the meeting would provide stakeholders with an opportunity to contribute to the effective implementation of the project.

Kabir said the engagement was also aimed at assessing the achievements recorded so far under ACReSAL and identifying challenges affecting the implementation of various interventions.

He explained that the meeting would enable stakeholders to fine-tune modalities for addressing identified challenges and strengthen collaboration among participating states and other partners.

The two-day engagement attracted stakeholders from various states where the ACReSAL project was being implemented, including government officials, traditional institutions, development partners, academia and other relevant organisations.