The World Bank has approved US$500 million in additional financing for the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project to help Nigeria scale up climate resilience, restore degraded landscapes, improve water management, and strengthen livelihoods across northern Nigeria.
By 2031, this fund will help restore landscapes, rehabilitate watersheds, improve erosion and flood management, and build more resilient rural livelihoods, reaching 1.4 million hectares and benefiting 6.6 million people. This is expected to lead to an increase in household incomes, reduced farmer/community/herder conflicts, increases in vegetation health, reduced flooding and associated fatalities, improved soil health and agricultural productivity.
Since 2022, ACReSAL has made significant progress toward improving the management of natural resources and strengthening climate resilience across northern Nigeria. The project has introduced sustainable landscape management practices on approximately 550,000 hectares, surpassed its target for improved catchment management, and reached more than 4.4 million beneficiaries.
“ACReSAL has demonstrated that investments in climate-resilient landscapes can improve livelihoods, strengthen food and water security, and help communities in the parts of Nigeria most vulnerable to climate shocks,” said Mathew Verghis, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria. “This additional financing will help scale up proven solutions, restore more degraded land, increase agricultural productivity, and strengthen institutions that can sustain these gains over the long term.”
“The additional financing reflects the strong results achieved under ACReSAL and will focus on translating the planning and institutional foundations already established under the project into larger-scale investments that improve climate adaptation, food security, water security, jobs, and economic opportunities,” said Iganya Joy Agene, Task Team Leader for ACReSAL.
Implemented by the Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, ACReSAL operates across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, helping communities build resilience to climate change while protecting the natural resource base that underpins economic growth and food security.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.
