Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has officially launched the 2025 Tree Planting Campaign in Sokoto New City, Kasarawa, as part of a broader effort to curb desertification and enhance environmental sustainability.
Highlighting the growing threat of desert encroachment, which continues to endanger farmlands across the state, Governor Aliyu called for urgent, collective action.
He directed local government councils to expedite the collection of their allocations and immediately commence tree planting activities within their jurisdictions.
The campaign targets the distribution of more than 500,000 tree seedlings across all 23 local government areas in the state.
These include a wide variety of both environmental and economically beneficial species, aiming not only to reverse land degradation but also to support livelihoods.
A strong emphasis is placed on community involvement. Local government chairmen have been instructed to raise awareness about the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling and mobilize residents to actively participate in the initiative.
This grassroots approach is intended to ensure long-term success and local ownership of the campaign.
The National Agency for the Great Green Wall is supporting the effort by providing 450,000 date palm seedlings to the state, further reinforcing the initiative’s capacity to combat desertification.
International development partners such as UNICEF, UNDP, and UNEP have also expressed their support, praising Sokoto State’s proactive environmental policies and pledging continued collaboration.
The 2025 Tree Planting Campaign stands as a major step toward restoring degraded land, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and securing a more sustainable future for the people of Sokoto State.
