GEF Small Grants Programme, Nigeria The Flagship of GEF Projects. Project Fact Sheet

Background

Over 18,000 inhabitants of Enyigba and Edda communities depend on

forest resources for sustenance. Baselines studies show that the natural

forests dwindled to less than 20% of its original status. Lots of the flora

and fauna endemic to the communities have been threatened with

extinction due to loss of their natural habitat. Again over 70% of arable

lands become degraded and infertile resulting in very low crop yields and

poverty index of 43.3%. Agricultural activities and high demand for land

led to intensification of natural land exploitation, reduction and fragmentation of natural habitat and

emergence of drought in the region. Also use of

Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides per surface area increased soil infertility. Also

extraction of inert solid minerals

such as lead, zinc and

granites in the areas further

degraded the landscape.

Therefore, in 2011/2013,

Neighbourhood

Environment Watch

Foundation with support

from the GEF/SGP Small

Grant program undertook to

rehabilitate and reverse land

degradation in the area, extend forest vegetation through natural process and empower the community

members, hence address food insecurity, climate change and biodiversity restoration.

Key Activities and Innovations

1. Advocacy visits to key stakeholders and policy makers.

2. Community social mobilization and sensitization on the project and deliverables,

3. Raising in nursery and planting of 100,000 indigenous economic trees of various values at

Ohankwu Eketube Enyigba; Ndiobe Ohatekwe Edda and Njoroko Okaria Edda all in Enyigba and Edda communities of Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

4. 5000 community members received free, enhanced, fast growing tree seedlings.

5. Trainings of over 2000 farmers on smart agro-forestry practices and climate change mitigation

6. Training of 200 and youths on tree nursery operation and agro-entrepreneurial skill.

7. Drafting of community anti-forest burning and tree felling laws

The women made inputs on the choice of fruit trees for

planting such as Hildergardia barteri for soup thickening

Cocos nucifera, and Irvingia spp among others. The tree

seedlings raised and planted included, oil palms, teak,

Ghmelina, pentaclethra Macrophyla, Dacrodes edulis,

Anacardium occidentale, Afzelia africana among many

others.

Community Engagement Strategy

REVERSING LAND DEGRADATION AND RE-AFFORESTATION OF 120 HECTARES OF LAND AT ENYIGBA / EDDA COMMUNITIES, ABAKALIKI LGA, EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA.

• Project Duration: 18 months • Beneficiaries: 8,000 (Direct) • Project Site: Edda and

Enyigba Communities • Focal Area: Land Degradation

N.E.W Foundation. # 3 Abakaliki – Ogoja Express way, Abakaliki Ebonyi State. www.newfoundationng.org; +2348053360120

Stakeholders’ consultation and Planning Meetings enabled community members to make input

into the development of the proposal and the project activities.

Community provided land and labour and were part of the entire planning and project

implementation process.

10,000 high yielding and quality tree crops were distributed free to community members

especially women, and other vulnerable community members for planting in their individual

households and farmlands and this provided incentive for full engagement.

Annual cash award was instituted by the community laeder, to any farmer that initiated and

planted at least five hundred trees in his land. This is to encourage trees planting and

conservation.

Another innovation was that gender consideration informed the choice of tree crops for planting

at household and community land especially cash crops that provide income and increased

nutrition.

Environmental Achievements

One measurable impact is the absence of bush burning through community legislation and greater

awareness on environmental / forest conservation and replication of project at household and

micro levels.

A greater percentage of the community members,

over 60% are aware of the benefit of tree

planting and are consciously practicing agro-

forestry to enhance soil fertility and halt

deforestation.

Training on tree nursery operation ensures that

community members can raise in nursery, tree

seedlings, tend and protect them for

environmental protection against climate change

Over 120 hectares of lands were restored and

three forests that were threatened came under

community protection through community

legislation against illegal entry, bush burning and felling of trees.

The community has better understanding of climate change and measure for adaptation and

mitigation.

Socio economic impacts

The tree crops distributed to members and planted in community lands ensure household and

community increase in income to meet social and

economic needs and promote community

harmony and development.

Two of the youths trained through this program

were further empowered through direct

employment at the Local Government to train

others and another was sent on further

agricultural training at Songhai farms.

Some of the community women trained on tree

nursery operation have started commercial

raising and sale of Moringa oleifera products to enhance personal and family income.

Another impact was the re-introduction of a local plant “Kpakpa” whose seed is used for

thickening soup and the bark for rope, which hitherto was threatened with extinction.

Partnership & Project Replication/Up scaling

The project received support and partnership from both the private and public sectors. At the flag

off of the tree planting exercise, the then Deputy Governor, but now the Executive Governor of the

Ebonyi state, Engr Chief David Umahi, kicked –off the community tree planting exercise. Other key

government functionaries present included the

commissioners for environment, Agriculture, Local

Government and Chieftaincy Matters, the Focal

Person of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

and the press from various media organizations.

This project has been documented and showcased in

knowledge management trainings and through the

social media. We have a publication on the project

titled “Local Solutions to Global Challenges:

Enyigba / Edda Reforestaion Project”. Again, we

made an audio-visual documentary of the project

entitled “Deforestation to Afforestation: The

Enyigba / Edda stories.

This is a novel project that address the community felt needs, such that it is replicated at the community

household levels. Also, seeing the success of the project, we were approached for collaboration by the

state ministry of environment and we oversee the distribution and planting in many locations in the state,

the one million tree seedlings provided to every state by the Federal ministry of Environment, Abuja.

Awards/Recognitions

The organization and the executive Director have won many awards and recognitions including, Ford

Fellow, Distinguished Media Award on Environment and In August 2013, Okezie was admitted as an

ASHOKA fellow. This according to the awardees is in recognition of Okezie’s innovative idea as an eco

– entrepreneur. “Okezie is restoring the forests in Nigeria by empowering communities to take

responsibility of preserving and conserving their forest reserves. He is positioning young people to

become aware of climate change issues and how reforestation can contribute to forestalling

desertification by engaging them in a hands-on experience on trees planting. He has built an all inclusive

model whereby community members take charge of protecting the forests from tree felling and women

who are the most affected by climate change play a crucial role in deciding which trees are most

beneficial to them as a community. Okezie is providing livelihood incentives to encourage communities to

preserve endangered forests and plant new ones”. (http://ashoka.org/fellow/okezie-kelechukwu)

Call for Partnership: NEW Foundation has a target of raising and planting average of 100,000 trees

across various communities in Nigeria. You can support the vision through your contributions in-kind or

technical or both. Together we secure the future of our planet and lives of generations unborn. Visit us or

call:

Web: Http://www.newfoundationng.org

Email: info@newfoundationng.org; newfoundationngo@gmail.co

Mobile: +2348063360120