Environment minister tasks UNCCD Committee on accurate data to combat land degradation

Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal has inaugurated the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Reporting Technical Committee, charging members to ensure the provision of accurate and reliable data capable of addressing Nigeria’s growing land degradation challenges.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony held recently in Abuja, the minister described the committee’s assignment as critical to the country’s efforts to prevent further environmental degradation and restore affected lands.

Lawal stressed that land remains a vital national asset not only for infrastructural development but also for food production, warning that continued degradation could have devastating consequences for the nation’s agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.

According to him, the committee’s role in generating credible and workable data would support government policies and interventions aimed at mitigating desertification, drought, and other forms of land degradation across the country.

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The minister urged members of the committee to work closely with environmental stakeholders, relevant agencies, and departments to ensure degraded areas are recovered and properly managed.

He noted that the committee’s central responsibility revolves around reporting and documentation, adding that accurate environmental data remains essential for effective planning and implementation of sustainable land management initiatives.

Lawal further identified the promotion of alternative cooking methods and aggressive tree planting campaigns as part of strategies needed to reduce deforestation and curb environmental degradation.

He described the selection process for committee members as rigorous, reflecting the importance of the assignment, and called on them to demonstrate commitment, professionalism, and dedication in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Earlier in her remarks, the Director of Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Management, Regina Nwaneri, said the inauguration marked another important step in Nigeria’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

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She explained that the reporting process goes beyond statutory compliance, noting that it also provides Nigeria with an opportunity to showcase its achievements, challenges, and ongoing interventions in sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration.

“The assignment before this committee is therefore of great importance. Your expertise, dedication, and collaborative efforts will be instrumental in ensuring the delivery of a credible, comprehensive, and timely national report that reflects the true state of implementation in Nigeria,” she said.

Nwaneri also commended the institutions represented on the committee for their continued support and commitment to the national assignment, expressing optimism that members would work together in the spirit of professionalism, partnership, and shared responsibility.

Nigeria, like many countries in the Sahel region, continues to battle the effects of desertification, deforestation, drought, and climate change, especially in northern parts of the country where shrinking vegetation and advancing desert conditions threaten livelihoods, food security, and economic stability. The Federal Government has in recent years intensified efforts toward afforestation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable land management in line with global environmental commitments under the UNCCD.