By Asmau Ahmad
The United Nations said unaddressed desertification and drought had the ability to hinder Nigeria’s development, aspirations and the achievement of the 2030 agenda.
UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, the made this known on Friday at the commemoration of the 2022 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (WDCDD).
The event was jointly organised by the UN Information Centre in Nigeria, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
It was supported by the Nigeria Network of Sustainable Development Journalists (NNSDJ).
The WDCDD is celebrated on June 17 annually and the theme for 2022 is, ‘’Rising Up from Drought Together.”
Schmale said more importantly, the impacts of desertification and drought hurt the most vulnerable people many of whom included women and girls.
According to him, the WDCDD is a unique moment to remind everyone that preventing land degradation in the arid and dry areas can be realised through collective problem solving, strong community involvement and cooperation at all levels.
“Desertification and drought remain a growing threat to lives and livelihoods across Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
“We can all change our habits and share our actions because we are all caretakers of the precious land resource we have.
“Together we can build a more inclusive and sustainable world, and forge a new contract with nature that ensures a healthy and prosperous Nigeria for future generations,” he said.
Also, Mr Bernard Gomez, WMO Representative in Nigeria, said drought did not only affect plants but also human life, adding that it was considered a very serious natural disaster.
Represented by Roland Abah, National Professional Officer, WMO Nigeria, Gomez said in the last 40 years, no natural disaster had affect people the way drought had.
“The Nigerian government prioritises climate mitigation and adaption and this is clear from the recently released national development plan and the climate change act.
“These frameworks will support Nigeria to achieve sustainable economic developments,” he said.
He noted that there was a global call for drought preparedness and resilience in all parts of the globe.
He added that the UN and other stakeholders were committed to achieving land degradation neutrality to stem the effects of water scarcity, desertification and drought.
