Ekiti begins planting of five million trees in forest reserves for revenue generation

The Ekiti State government has commenced the plantation of five million crops and economic trees across the nine government-owned forest reserves in the state as part of measures to control floods and generate revenue.

At the flagging-off of the afforestation programme in Aramoko-Ekiti, Ekiti West local government, on Wednesday, the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Programme (NEWMAP) State Project Coordinator, Dr Akinyemi Akinyugha, disclosed that by target, one million trees are to be planted annually to regenerate degraded portions of the government forests.

The NEWMAP Coordinator disclosed that the trees, both indigenous and assorted, would be planted across the nine forest reserves and individuals’ farmlands, for a period of five years.

According to him, “We have a roadmap that will guide us and it is to run for a period of five years. Our target is a million trees yearly for five years as contained in our scheme of work.

“It is a partnership between the state government and the World Bank not only to control erosion and flooding that are destroying property and crops, killing and damaging lives and means of livelihoods, to serve as means of revenue for government and individuals.”

Governor Kayode Fayemi, represented by the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Funminiyi Afuye, said a total of 250 hectares of land were being targeted under the scheme.

Fayemi added that the exercise being prosecuted under the NEWMAP would ensure the planting of crops and economic trees that will increase the revenues of the people and government in the state.

The governor said they keyed into the world bank- propelled programme in 2019 to help in providing jobs for youth, control erosion and flooding and boost the state’s economy.

“Ekiti NEWMAP is a multi-sectoral intervention project with the core objectives to rehabilitate degraded lands, reduce erosion and flooding disasters and create a green and sustainable environment, which supports the livelihood and boost the ecosystem.

“Since NEWMAP begins in Ekiti, 300,000 trees have been planted across Ekiti, with more than 80,000 of these tree seedlings distributed to 540 farmers, who were also empowered with farm tools and agricultural inputs to support their farming activities,” he said.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mrs Iyabo Okieimen, said apart from the 250 hectares target by the goverment, that individual farmers have also been motivated to plant 100 hectares of trees for aggressive afforestation drive in Ekiti.

Giving the breakdown, the Commissioner stated that under the NEWMAP scheme, ” 20 hectares of trees have been planted in Ogbese, 10 in Ikere, 20 in Eda, 10 in Aramoko, 10 in Ogotun, 20 in Emure, 10 in Ise, 20 in Egbe in Gbonyin Council area and 20 in Isan/Ayede forest reserves.

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