Niger State Government in North central Nigeria has flagged off a Hybrid Shea tree planting campaign to accelerate economic transformation.
At the event, State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello aims to geometrically increase the number of Shea trees for the value chain.
The Governor said the tree planting which is a pilot scheme in collaboration with the National Shea Products Association of Nigeria (NASPAN) is to establish Shea Parkland Afforestation and Reforestation (SPARE) project in Nigeria.
“The global shea butter market has grown rapidly due to the increased demand in making confectioneries, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products among others”, Gov Bello said
The Governor who further acknowledged that the state has the highest number of Shea trees in the world said he not leaving anything to harness the comparative advantage of the economic trees and the value chain which has the potential of engaging women and youths across the state.
“About 3,000 of the trees will be planted in phase one of the project to cover 20 hectares of land in which each hectare will accommodate 150 seedlings of the Shea trees”.
The Niger State Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Engr Daniel Habila, who expressed concern over the rate at which the natural forest is being depleted, explained that the new approach to reforestation with Shea trees and other economic trees will change the narrative in the State.
“The shea trees will not only bring economic benefits to Niger state but, will bring climate change mitigation benefits that will minimise the environmental impacts from carbon prints.”
The National President of the National Shea Products Association of Nigeria (NASPAN), Alhaji Muhammad Ahmed said that the target of the project is to plant 10 million Shea trees in the next 10 years. He further explained that the project was initiated due to the indiscriminate felling of Shea trees in Niger State.
Dominica Nwabufo
