Afforestation: Taraba ACReSAL Commences Engagement With Implementing Communities
By Lynn Adda
The Taraba ACReSAL Team on engagement with FAO (Food and Agriculture) implementing communities on preparation for afforestation activities have visited Garin Mallam community in Gassol Local Government of the state.
The Team Lead, Mr Julius Butu who is also the Taraba ACReSAL Land Restoration Adviser, represented the State Project Coordinator, Dr Yakubu Clement Giwa.
He explained that the visit was a follow-up to ascertain whether the promise made by the community to provide land for afforestation activity is still feasible because ACReSAL is ready to implement its activity on afforestation as promised.
According to him, members of the community will be solely responsible for the planting of the seedlings, as no outsider will join them, adding that each land will be demarcated with the eucalyptus plant to avoid any grievances.
He said the team will form a gender responsive community land restoration committee whose role is to liaise between the Community, the CIG’s and the project office.
The Team Lead emphasised that women should constitute 50% of the membership, adding that the committee will be trained on best agricultural practices by the National office.
Also speaking, the Assistant Social Livelihood Officer 1, Mr Agbu Bulus said, the planting of the seedlings will commence immediately and advised the community to nurture the seedlings, saying there will be reward for any person that nurtures the seedlings to grow well.
He stressed that the planting of the seedlings is not free as Taraba ACReSAL will pay for each seedling planted, advising them to hurry up and register their groups with the State Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and open group account for easy payment as Taraba ACReSAL will onl make payment to CIGs account and not to individuals.
The Environmental Safeguard Officer, Alhaji Dahiru Umar spoke on climate change mitigation which he said is caused by human activities urging them to stop cutting down of trees.
He encouraged them to work as a team to benefit from ACReSAL packages which has direct bearings on the lives of people.
The Social Livelihood Officer, Shittu Dauda said incase of any grievances, ACReSAL has a GRM desk where they can lay their complains but was quick to add that they should first of all lodge their complains to the community leader, if not resolved, then they can call the ACReSAL free toll lines which was given to them.
The N.R.O and GBV Officers who also emphasised the need for them to register their CIGs and open an account for each of them as the only means to get their payments, warned them against opening of online accounts such as Opay and Monie points as ACReSAL will not accept such.
Responding on behalf of the community, the District Head of Garin Mallam, Alhaji Sulaiman Mohammed Yerima, thanked Taraba ACReSAL for the visit, assuring them that their promise of providing land space for afforestation is still intact.
He noted that anytime ACReSAL is ready, the community is also ready too, calling on his people to take the issue of registration and account opening serious so that they can benefit from ACReSAL’s numerous packages.
He pleaded with the Team to continue to exercise patience with his people because of their slow level of understanding compared to other communities, promising to support the programme in his domain.
During the visit, a committee comprising of 10 members was formed to serve as Gender Responsive Community Land Restoration Committee.
