Muhammed Garba
The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) is set to kick off the implementation of a 50 million date-palm seedling plantation project in Jigawa State.
Director-General of the agency, Mr. Saleh Abubakar, announced on Wednesday during a press briefing ahead of the agency’s 10th-anniversary celebration, scheduled to be held on Thursday in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.
Mr. Saleh explained that the date-palm initiative is a key part of NAGGW’s strategy to merge economic empowerment with environmental restoration.
According to him, the seedlings will be distributed over five years across 11 states, starting with five million in 2025. The distribution will primarily target women and youth as a form of economic empowerment.
He revealed that Jigawa State, Nigeria’s leading producer of date palms, is expected to receive 500,000 seedlings under the scheme. These will be planted in collaboration with the state government and local communities.
“We selected date palms because they are not only environmentally sustainable but also economically valuable.
The fruit and its by-products can be processed into a wide range of goods,” he said.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, NAGGW will also unveil an expanded public awareness campaign to promote environmentally responsible practices in sectors such as energy, agriculture, mining, construction, and domestic cooking.
The Director-General thanked the Jigawa State Government for hosting the event and for its continued support of the agency’s environmental and developmental mission.
