Initiate Climate Projects To Attract Grants, Support Group Urges State Govts In Nigeria

Posted by Eric Ojo Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, December 24th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) has urged state governments in Nigeria to come up with climate related projects in order to enable them to access grants from donor agencies across the globe.

GIFSEP is a non-profit organization founded on the ideals of environment education, climate change adaptation and mitigation, renewable energy and sustainable development. Its mission is to mobilize communities to build resilience to a changing climate, to conserve and protect the environment

The Executive Director of GIFSEP, Mr. David Michael Terungwa gave the charge at a one-day sensitisation workshop, organised by his organisation, in partnership with OXFAM and support from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of the Netherlands and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), which was held in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

Mr. Terungwa said with the signing of the Climate Change Act by President Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria, opportunities were available for state governments to access, adding that states can get funding from international organisations to finance climate related projects in the country.

He noted that the workshop is aimed at bringing Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) together in Nasarawa State to build their capacity so that they can begin to build resilience to climate related issues. This, according to him, is because climate change is affecting agriculture due to the issue of shortage of water and unpredictability of rainfall, adding that it is therefore imperative for farmers to build resilience.

He further explained that GIFSEP was implementing the African Activists for Climate Justice Project (AACJ), which is aimed at amplifying and uniting voices in Africa that are demanding for the rights and inclusion of women, youth and local communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia and South Africa.

He added that the project will help citizens defend and realise their human rights and live a decent and dignified life in a healthy and sustainable environment, within the context of the climate emergency.

The GIFSEP boss said the AACJ project was targeted at building strong and inclusive African movement that would mobilise citizens, companies and government to advance climate justice for the benefit of mankind.

“This project will teach CSOs from the 13 Local Governments Areas (LGAs) of the state how to train farmers on climate smart agriculture, giving them the timely and early weather information to enable them plan ahead. We need to teach farmers to improve their soil fertility through organic means of farming and not over dependence on chemical fertilisers.

“We want to reach to the grassroots so that the talk on climate will not be only at the federal level. We also want the state to have climate related policies in the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture and Women Affairs and Social Development because climate change affects women the more”, he said.

Similarly, in his presentation at the workshop, Barr. Yahaya Dangana urged CSOs to track government budgets allocation on climate related issues and make case for increase in budgetary allocation of climate issues in the state.

Speaking on the topic, “Climate Action: The Role of CSOs in Nasarawa State”, Barr. Dangana said CSOs should be able to gather and mobilise support for climate actions, adding that there are a lot of opportunities that will be utilised by members of the community, particularly those who are into climate-related organisation.

“We are entitled to approach any of the government institutions to demand for accountability and certain information on how certain things are done. Where they are judiciously utilised, we can make for an increase in the funding of climate related activities, and where they are under utilised or misappropriated, we can make case for necessary actions to be taken, including investigations and possible prosecution”, he added.

He therefore, called on participants to sensitise their communities on how to protect their environment, as well as push for new laws and policies relating to the environment.

Earlier, the Project Officer of AACJ, Mr Joseph Ibrahim, who gave an overview of the AACJ project, said GIFSEP was implementing the project in the state for a period of five years.

“We are hoping that the budgetary allocations for climate action in the state will increase as a result of different activities that we have lined up for this project”, he stressed.