VP Shettima welcomes £250,000 technology donation to drive afforestation
By Salisu Sani-Idris
The Federal Government has partnered with United Kingdom’s Zander Corporation Ltd., to transform agricultural practices and restore degraded lands in the country’s most vulnerable ecological zones.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima stated this on Thursday during a meeting with the management of the bio-technology company, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that management of the company was led by Lord Raymond Benedict Asquith, the Third Earl of Oxford, and Asquith OBE, a member of the UK House of Lords.
The Zander Corporation donated £250,000 worth of afforestation technology products to Nigeria.
Shettima expressed the commitment of the Federal government to afforestation as a key strategy in combating desertification, promoting sustainable land use, and ensuring long-term agricultural productivity.
“There is a critical intersection between innovative technology and efforts at combating desertification and agricultural transformation in this country.
“As a nation committed to afforestation and sustainable land use, we recognise the value of partnerships that introduce cutting-edge technologies like those from Zander Corporation,” he said.
Shettima noted the need to maximise the potential of the five-hectare pilot project, suggesting diversification into vegetable production and tree crops such as cashew, which has a high global demand.
“We are in a unique position to take advantage of this opportunity. I want to assure you and your team of the federal government’s support.
“Sokoto State has already demonstrated commitment, and I believe that Borno and Katsina governments will also embrace this initiative.”
Shettima acknowledged Lord Oxford’s commitment to training Nigerian agronomists in best practices for implementing the technology.
He added that “there is an incestuous relationship between ecology and economy in the northern part of this country.
“This innovative technology by Zander Corporation can be our saving grace.”
Earlier, Lord Oxford reaffirmed the corporation’s dedication to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation, adding that the company has been in the country for over 12 years.
“We have made a donation of our products to Nigeria for deployment in several northern states to demonstrate our capabilities and the remarkable results that can be achieved in agricultural and environmental projects.”
He explained that the corporation had recorded successes in desert states such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Libya, and Southern Spain.
Also, the Director-General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Alhaji Saleh Abubakar, confirmed the agency’s commitment to implementing Zander Corporation’s technology.
“We have established a committee to oversee the implementation of these products, which have proven highly effective in building resilience during the pilot programme.
“We are piloting this project in Katsina, Borno and Sokoto States, with five hectares of land already prepared for deployment.
“We are committed to ensuring that the initiative directly benefits the communities affected by desertification with a view to building resilience and sustainability in agriculture and management of the dry land in the north.
Also, Mr Rupert Bevan, Director, Zander Corporation Ltd., said that he was impressed with the commitment of the Federal Government to the project.
He reiterated the commitment of the corporation to support Nigeria to combat desertification and land degradation.
“We have spent a lot of time in Nigeria where we are trying to offer technology for the betterment of the problems facing the Nigerian people for the construction of the great green wall.
“We believe we have some very important things to offer which shall be of considerable use in getting the great green wall finished.
“We are able to plant important trees but later on we will be able to plant various crops either permanent ones or cereal and real crops to give a lot of employment to people up here.
“And to make the whole project self-sufficient,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
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