Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of Plateau State warmly welcomed participants from six states to a three-day training program on Participatory Conflict Monitoring, Reporting, and Learning for the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project. The event, held from July 23 to 25, 2024, in Jos, aims to address land degradation and climate change in Northern Nigeria and is organized in collaboration with Search for Common Ground (SFCG).
Supported by the World Bank, the ACReSAL Project targets environmental and agricultural challenges across the 19 northern states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The training sessions are also being held in Bauchi State for the northeast and Kaduna State for the northwest.
The Commissioner of Environment, Climate Change, and Mineral Development, Peter Gwom, inaugurated the training at Crispan Hotel on behalf of Governor Mutfwang. He emphasized the program’s importance in mitigating climate change impacts and integrating conflict resolution into environmental projects.
“ACReSAL is a crucial intervention by the World Bank addressing environmental, agricultural, and water resource challenges,” Gwom stated. “This training is vital for equipping our project teams with the skills needed to handle conflicts, ensuring the sustainability of our initiatives.”
Henrietta Nyazi Alhassan, representing the National Project Coordinator, Abdelhamid Kumar, highlighted the significance of peacebuilding within the ACReSAL framework. “Under component B of ACReSAL, we focus on community climate resilience, which includes peacebuilding to ensure our interventions can proceed smoothly in conflict-prone areas,” she explained.
Mr. Garaba Gowon, Plateau State ACReSAL Project Coordinator, underscored the training’s relevance, particularly during the farming season when conflicts often arise. “This training is timely as it prepares our teams to handle conflicts in communities where we implement our projects, such as tree planting and greening activities,” Gowon said.
Participants from Plateau, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and the FCT, representing the north-central zone, are attending the event. Simultaneous training sessions across the north aim to build the capacities of state program teams in conflict mitigation and community engagement.
Mr. Godwin Okoko, Head of Program Implementation at Search for Common Ground, highlighted the collaborative nature of the training. “We aim to build the capacities of ACReSAL teams in conflict-sensitive approaches and stakeholder engagement to ensure the project’s success across the 19 northern states,” Okoko stated.
Participants, including those who had not visited Plateau State in years, expressed optimism about the training’s impact and the peaceful environment in Jos. The program aims to equip them with the necessary tools to manage conflicts and ensure the sustainability of environmental projects in their respective communities.
