…….Plant fruit bearing trees
Foundation for Community Empowerment Initiative, Muhsal Disabled Support Foundation, and Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes, have commemorated World Environment Day in Special Education Centre, Gombe.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that no fewer than 20 fruit bearing hybrid trees were planted on Thursday shortly after the group’s sensitisation at the centre.
Our correspondent reports that 2024 World Environment Day has the theme; Accelerating land restoration, drought resilience & desertification progress.
Speaking, Ben Maina, Team Lead, Foundation for Community Empowerment Initiative, said “We are here to commemorate World Environment Day by carrying out tree planting and sensitisation. We used the opportunity to educate them on the importance of trees in our society. We just sensitised them on what the day entails.”
On the importance of the exercise, Maina added, “We enlightened them on the component, and benefits of environment as it provides cloths to wear, refines the air we breath. “The feedback we got signifies they understand the dictates of environment by pledging to protect the trees. We planted about 20 fruit bearing trees. It will improve their nutrition. We have cashews, mangoes, oranges and so on. They are hybrid, trees that can bear fruits in not more than two years or less than that.”
Also, Executive Director Muhsal Disabled Support Foundation, Muhammad Salisu, said the collaboration was in a bid to combat tackle climate change.
He said, “Persons with disabilities are usually left behind. We thought it wise to come to their premises to bring the message of climate change through planting trees.
“As you know persons with disabilities are usually treated as aliens but they should be seen as part of the society, support with care.”
Also speaking, Climate change officer, Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes, Aminu Maigari, said, “A lot of their activities are similar to our work. At ACReSAL we are trying to reclaim degraded lands so the need to collaborate with FOCEI and Mushal.”
On the choice of Special School, Maigari added, “The greener the environment for food and shelter’, most of the trees are fruit bearing and they provide supplements to human beings. People seem to have forgotten about them the reason why we are targeting them to give me special treatment.”
Maigari called on the school authorities to establish relevant clubs, “The management of the school school create forestry, agriculture, climate change clubs to motivate the students to take care of seedlings at early stage, to catch them young to develop the habit.
On his part, Principal of Centre for Special Education, Mohammed Ahmed, commended the collaborators, assuring that the trees will be protected.
Ahmed said, “The sustainability of the trees is in the protection. What we are left with is to protect them proper watering and adequate care. The students will be guided on watering them morning and evening. We won’t allow any harm that with destroy the trees.”
While expressing delight at the trees, Ahmed added, “They are economic trees (fruit bearing),the students can consume it. It will serve as wind resistance to the structures, it’s will provide shade for students and teachers.”
While lauding the collaboration of FOCEI, Mushal, and ACReSAL, “I want to thank FOCEI and its counterparts we are grateful. If you take a look at this environment it lacks trees and it will help us alot. I’m grateful, we hope to protect the trees,” Ahmed added.
