Sanjay Lauds NEWMAP, Calls for effective documentation of ACReSAL Results

Sanjay Lauds NEWMAP, Calls for effective documentation of ACReSAL Results

Sanjay Srivastava, world Bank Manager of the Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice in Africa made this call during a crucial engagement with ACReSAL Project Management Units (PMUs) and Federal Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) in Abuja earlier today.

Mr. Sanjay applauded the successful implementation of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), and revealed that NEWMAP exceeded its targets with referenced to the project development objectives.

He advised Project implementers that ACReSAL will be very unique in terms of results documentation; every investment must be justified and done in stages to ensure effective implementation, every investment will align and fit into the project development objectives, it will increase agricultural development, afforestation, improve livelihoods, address water stress, restoration of degraded lands and build the capacity of communities for effective natural resources management.

Mr. Sanjay further informed the Project Coordinators from the 20 partner states to commence project implementation and ensure that laid down criteria and due processes are strictly adhered to. “ACReSAL is as complex as NEWMAP, we need to show evidence-based results, he stated”

Speaking earlier, during his presentation on ACReSAL overview, Engr. Anda Ayuba Yalaks, the Ag. National Project Coordinator, ACReSAL, revealed that the ACReSAL is a Multi-sectoral (Environment, Agriculture, Water) & Multi-institutional at Multi-level (National…State…Community) project building on National and Global Good Practices (technology, institutional, implementation lessons), he stated that for a project to succeed it must have a robust institutional framework which is in place in ACReSAL.

On the issue of peace building, Engr. Anda said that it cannot be underscored as we intend to build the capacity of the community to make them understand that when we manage the natural resources adequately, it will be utilized and enough for everybody both the farmers and cattle grazers as planned under the project component B “Community Climate Resilience”

Also in his Presentation, Dr. Godstime James from the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) noted that to bridge the gap in technology NASRDA will develop and operationalize ACReSAL Web-Based Geo-Portal data center for monitoring of project progress across the state from any location in the world.

Dr. Joy I. Agene, Senior Environment Specialist World Bank and Task Team Leader, ACReSAL, encouraged the Project Coordinators to start implementation of the activities as captured and cleared in the work-plan such as community engagement and other low hanging fruits and follow due processes, seek approvals where it is applicable.