Nigeria faces significant challenges beyond food insecurity, including climate change, deforestation, flooding, land degradation, and biodiversity loss, all of which demand urgent attention.
To address these issues, FMAN has launched a tree-planting campaign in Jigawa as part of the Wheat Expansion Project’s objectives to promote afforestation and it was inaugurated in collaboration with the Governor of Jigawa State on July 16, 2024.
FMANs commitment to supporting farmers in planting 20,000 economic trees across various states has been recognized by the Governors of these regions. The Governor of Jigawa State, in particular, embraced this initiative and partnered with FMAN to prioritize policies that promote reforestation and sustainable land management.
This project has inspired the planting of an additional 5 million trees through the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes ( ACReSAL ) program in Jigawa State.
During the inauguration, the first set of 5,000 trees, including guava, grafted mango, citrus, and cashew, was presented for distribution to outgrower farmers. These trees were selected not only for their environmental benefits but also for their potential to offer significant economic and social advantages. By diversifying farmers’ income and enhancing food security, these trees complement the primary focus on wheat cultivation.
The event was attended by several stakeholders, including the Governor of Jigawa State, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, traditional rulers, the State Commissioner of Environment, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, other dignitaries from various ministries, outgrower farmers, and other community farmers. The partnership between IDH and FMAN received a commendation from the Governor of Jigawa State, marking the event as a successful and promising step towards sustainable development.
“This tree planting initiative is a testament to our commitment to sustainable development and economic empowerment,” said Aliyu Samaila, Head of Value Chain Development at FMAN. “We are thrilled to partner with IDH to bring lasting environmental and economic benefits to Jigawa State and Nigeria.”
About the partnership
Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN) partnered with IDH for a 3-year co-funding engagement. The partnership focuses on four states: Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Sokoto. The co-funding engagement seeks to empower farmers within the program with quality inputs, extension services, training, and offtake, while also providing training and guaranteed offtake to farmers outside the program. By doing so, FMAN and IDH hope to catalyze the wheat value chain in Nigeria and contribute to the country’s food security and economic growth. The engagement aims to integrate 25,000 farmers into the supply chains of FMAN. This will comprise 5,000 farmers in block farming arrangements and another 20,000 non-block farmers within the communities during the 3 years of the project.
To contribute to environmental stewardship, and for good environmental management, afforestation is part of the project objectives to be promoted. 20,000 trees are to be planted by the 5000 block farmers in the project. Each block farmer will plant 4 tree seedlings in strategic locations that will act as windbreakers, and help to protect the bare ground from soil erosion, flooding, and sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The tree planting campaign was held in Jigawa by FMAN where IDH was represented by Titilayo Ayodeji and Dayo Ogundijo.
