the flagship of gef projects. project fact sheet reversing ... · nutrition. environmental...
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GEF Small Grants Programme, Nigeria The Flagship of GEF Projects. Project Fact Sheet
Background
Over 18,000 inhabitants of Enyigba and Edda communities depend on
forest resources for sustenance. Baselines studies show that the natural
forests dwindled to less than 20% of its original status. Lots of the flora
and fauna endemic to the communities have been threatened with
extinction due to loss of their natural habitat. Again over 70% of arable
lands become degraded and infertile resulting in very low crop yields and
poverty index of 43.3%. Agricultural activities and high demand for land
led to intensification of natural land exploitation, reduction and fragmentation of natural habitat and
emergence of drought in the region. Also use of
Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides per surface area increased soil infertility. Also
extraction of inert solid minerals
such as lead, zinc and
granites in the areas further
degraded the landscape.
Therefore, in 2011/2013,
Neighbourhood
Environment Watch
Foundation with support
from the GEF/SGP Small
Grant program undertook to
rehabilitate and reverse land
degradation in the area, extend forest vegetation through natural process and empower the community
members, hence address food insecurity, climate change and biodiversity restoration.
Key Activities and Innovations
1. Advocacy visits to key stakeholders and policy makers.
2. Community social mobilization and sensitization on the project and deliverables,
3. Raising in nursery and planting of 100,000 indigenous economic trees of various values at
Ohankwu Eketube Enyigba; Ndiobe Ohatekwe Edda and Njoroko Okaria Edda all in Enyigba and Edda communities of Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
4. 5000 community members received free, enhanced, fast growing tree seedlings.
5. Trainings of over 2000 farmers on smart agro-forestry practices and climate change mitigation
6. Training of 200 and youths on tree nursery operation and agro-entrepreneurial skill.
7. Drafting of community anti-forest burning and tree felling laws
The women made inputs on the choice of fruit trees for
planting such as Hildergardia barteri for soup thickening
Cocos nucifera, and Irvingia spp among others. The tree
seedlings raised and planted included, oil palms, teak,
Ghmelina, pentaclethra Macrophyla, Dacrodes edulis,
Anacardium occidentale, Afzelia africana among many
others.
Community Engagement Strategy
REVERSING LAND DEGRADATION AND RE-AFFORESTATION OF 120 HECTARES OF LAND AT ENYIGBA / EDDA COMMUNITIES, ABAKALIKI LGA, EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA.
• Project Duration: 18 months • Beneficiaries: 8,000 (Direct) • Project Site: Edda and
Enyigba Communities • Focal Area: Land Degradation
N.E.W Foundation. # 3 Abakaliki – Ogoja Express way, Abakaliki Ebonyi State. www.newfoundationng.org; +2348053360120
Stakeholders’ consultation and Planning Meetings enabled community members to make input
into the development of the proposal and the project activities.
Community provided land and labour and were part of the entire planning and project
implementation process.
10,000 high yielding and quality tree crops were distributed free to community members
especially women, and other vulnerable community members for planting in their individual
households and farmlands and this provided incentive for full engagement.
Annual cash award was instituted by the community laeder, to any farmer that initiated and
planted at least five hundred trees in his land. This is to encourage trees planting and
conservation.
Another innovation was that gender consideration informed the choice of tree crops for planting
at household and community land especially cash crops that provide income and increased
nutrition.
Environmental Achievements
One measurable impact is the absence of bush burning through community legislation and greater
awareness on environmental / forest conservation and replication of project at household and
micro levels.
A greater percentage of the community members,
over 60% are aware of the benefit of tree
planting and are consciously practicing agro-
forestry to enhance soil fertility and halt
deforestation.
Training on tree nursery operation ensures that
community members can raise in nursery, tree
seedlings, tend and protect them for
environmental protection against climate change
Over 120 hectares of lands were restored and
three forests that were threatened came under
community protection through community
legislation against illegal entry, bush burning and felling of trees.
The community has better understanding of climate change and measure for adaptation and
mitigation.
Socio economic impacts
The tree crops distributed to members and planted in community lands ensure household and
community increase in income to meet social and
economic needs and promote community
harmony and development.
Two of the youths trained through this program
were further empowered through direct
employment at the Local Government to train
others and another was sent on further
agricultural training at Songhai farms.
Some of the community women trained on tree
nursery operation have started commercial
raising and sale of Moringa oleifera products to enhance personal and family income.
Another impact was the re-introduction of a local plant “Kpakpa” whose seed is used for
thickening soup and the bark for rope, which hitherto was threatened with extinction.
Partnership & Project Replication/Up scaling
The project received support and partnership from both the private and public sectors. At the flag
off of the tree planting exercise, the then Deputy Governor, but now the Executive Governor of the
Ebonyi state, Engr Chief David Umahi, kicked –off the community tree planting exercise. Other key
government functionaries present included the
commissioners for environment, Agriculture, Local
Government and Chieftaincy Matters, the Focal
Person of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
and the press from various media organizations.
This project has been documented and showcased in
knowledge management trainings and through the
social media. We have a publication on the project
titled “Local Solutions to Global Challenges:
Enyigba / Edda Reforestaion Project”. Again, we
made an audio-visual documentary of the project
entitled “Deforestation to Afforestation: The
Enyigba / Edda stories.
This is a novel project that address the community felt needs, such that it is replicated at the community
household levels. Also, seeing the success of the project, we were approached for collaboration by the
state ministry of environment and we oversee the distribution and planting in many locations in the state,
the one million tree seedlings provided to every state by the Federal ministry of Environment, Abuja.
Awards/Recognitions
The organization and the executive Director have won many awards and recognitions including, Ford
Fellow, Distinguished Media Award on Environment and In August 2013, Okezie was admitted as an
ASHOKA fellow. This according to the awardees is in recognition of Okezie’s innovative idea as an eco
– entrepreneur. “Okezie is restoring the forests in Nigeria by empowering communities to take
responsibility of preserving and conserving their forest reserves. He is positioning young people to
become aware of climate change issues and how reforestation can contribute to forestalling
desertification by engaging them in a hands-on experience on trees planting. He has built an all inclusive
model whereby community members take charge of protecting the forests from tree felling and women
who are the most affected by climate change play a crucial role in deciding which trees are most
beneficial to them as a community. Okezie is providing livelihood incentives to encourage communities to
preserve endangered forests and plant new ones”. (http://ashoka.org/fellow/okezie-kelechukwu)
Call for Partnership: NEW Foundation has a target of raising and planting average of 100,000 trees
across various communities in Nigeria. You can support the vision through your contributions in-kind or
technical or both. Together we secure the future of our planet and lives of generations unborn. Visit us or
call:
Web: Http://www.newfoundationng.org
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Mobile: +2348063360120