RCE Minna - 2018

PLANT A TREE AND EARN A LIVING: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN TREE PLANTING
Basic Information
Title of project : 
PLANT A TREE AND EARN A LIVING: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN TREE PLANTING
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Minna
Contributing organization(s) : 
DEVELOPMENT INTIATIVE OF WEST AFRICA (DIWA)
NIGERIAN ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIETY (NES) NIGER STATE
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Nurudeen Lemu
Organizational Affiliation: 
DIWA
E-mail: 
nurulemu@gmail.com
Name: 
Shehu Raji Adam
Organizational Affiliation: 
NES
E-mail: 
rajishehuadam@gmail.com
Format of project: 
Power Point
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Update
Web link: 
www.rceminna.com.ng
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
SGDs Goal 15 : Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss
At what level is the policy operating?: 
Subnational
SGDs Goal 15 : Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss
At what level is the policy operating?: 
Local
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Africa and Middle East
Country: 
Nigeria
Location(s): 
MAITUMBI, MINNA
Address of focal point institution for project: 
SUITE 02, IICO BUILDING, OPP. NIGER STATE SUPPLY COMPANY, MINNA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA
Ecosystem(s):
Agricultural, Urban/Peri-urban
Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Secondary, Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Minna is a city (estimated population 304,113 in 2007) in west-central Nigeria. It is the capital of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states. It consists of 2 major ethnic groups: the Nupe and the Gbagyi. The major activities of the local people is farming and hunting. Minna is about 150km to the capital city of Nigeria.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Minna use to be a very environmentally friendly area with trees planted across streets, residential neighborhood, public and private institutions, all these was done by people that has no education and urban planning skills. More so, the traditional communities used to be well planned with access roads, drainages and adequate waste management efforts. However, these have eroded with time. The culture has disappeared now that we have better skills and manpower to deal with environmental and urban development issues to achieve sustainability. Therefore, the community tree planting project seeks to address these challenges from both environmental and urban development angle.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
June, 2018 to June, 2020
Rationale: 
These projects become necessary in view of the challenge confronting a 5.6 hectare of land area designated by government at a government layout known as the 3 Arm Zone designated for government officials. The land face the threat of been occupied by politicians to build on the area designated for the Park and Garden. This same challenge has already taken another land for such park and garden in the same location. To avoid this, RCE Minna make swift action together with the community to salvage the land from been taking over for another use.
Objectives: 
The objectives of the project is to:
1. To protect the land from politicians through afforestation and community engagement.
2. To enhance the biodiversity of the Area through tree planting.
3. To enhance community participation and raise awareness on the importance of biodiversity.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The activities includes:
1. Planting of 1000 fruits and shade trees and encouraging policy makers to participate in the planting by 2020.
2. Commemoration of the Annual World Environment Day (WED) Annually.
3. Communicating and interacting with local communities to own the project.
4. RCE School Clubs visiting the park occasionally
Size of academic audience: 
Approximately 200 (including students and teachers)
Results: 
1. So far over 250 seedlings (both fruit and shade trees) have been successfully planted.
2. Successfully make the Honourable Commissioner of Lands and Housing to kick start the project, thereby making them part of the project and help in protecting the site.
3. The local Community has also started planting trees on their own with the aim of earning a living.
Lessons learned: 
Some of the lesson learned and we are still learning include:
1. There is need to always lobby policy makers and engage communities in carrying out any project within their scope of operation and localities respectively,
2. Partnership is key in executing such project. Because RCE Minna could not afford to cover site clearing, seedlings and the token for the maintenance and sustaining the trees alone.
Key messages: 
It is instructive to note that, the site is almost becoming a property of RCE Minna because of our continuous engagement with the area. We hope to push further and lobby more so that there will be an official pronouncement by the government to give RCE Minna the Sole ownership of the Park.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
This is part of the numerous RCE Planting Exercise
Funding: 
The funds for the project are majorly from:
1. Contribution by RCE Members 2. Development Initiative of West Africa (DIWA) 3. Nigerian Environmental Society (NES)

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon photo1.jpg (1.05 MB) Former Niger State Hon. Commissioner of Lands and Housing Flagging up the Exercise RCE Minna
Image icon photo2.jpg (1.31 MB) Cross Section of Participants during the planting exercise RCE Minna
Image icon photo3.jpg (1.17 MB) Group Photograph at the flag up of the project at the last WED 2017 RCE Minna
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Direct
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Indirect
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Direct
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Direct
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Agriculture 
Direct
Ecotourism 
Direct
Forests/Trees 
Direct
Waste 
Indirect
Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development – Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 3 - Building capacities of educators and trainers 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Empowering and mobilizing youth 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
Direct
Update: 
Yes