RCE Minna - 2022

Mobilizing Young Researchers for Climate Change Mitigation and Community Empowerment through Planting of Economic Trees
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Mobilizing Young Researchers for Climate Change Mitigation and Community Empowerment through Planting of Economic Trees
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Minna
Contributing organization(s) : 
RCE Minna, Butu Community, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and Islamic Education Trust (IET)
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Dr. Abdul Husaini
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Minna
E-mail: 
abdulhusaini@yahoo.com
Format of project: 
Powerpoint
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Sunday, October 2, 2022
Web link: 
www.rceminna.com.ng
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
At what level is the policy operating?: 
International
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Africa and Middle East
Country: 
Nigeria
Location(s): 
Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Suit No. 2 IICO Building Opposite Niger State Supply Company, Muazu Mohammed Road, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
Ecosystem(s):
Agricultural, Forest, Mountain, Urban/Peri-urban
Target Audience:
Community, Higher, 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, as part of RCE Minna continuous drive to encourage sustainable tree planting methods as a means of reducing and combating the effect of climate change which is in line with Goal 13 of the SDGs the community tree planting project seeks to address these challenges from both environmental and urban development angle.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
February, 2021
Rationale: 
RCE Minna provided an opportunity for its two female interns studying Botany from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria to come up with a cashew nursery that will be planted at its Bridget Aisah Lemu Conservatory and Children’s Park (BAL-CCP). To achieve this aim, they selected the best seeds and planted them using the controlled and uncontrolled methods, so as to determine the germination percentage and growth rate of the seeds. During that period, it was discovered that the control method was more fruitful, hence, they resorted to nursing 500 seedlings through such method.

The project seeks to provide RCE Minna with an opportunity to further develop its already existing Park. The Park is to house all major trees that are endemic in Northern-Nigeria and will be managed by the community neighboring it (Butu Community). It will serve as a research area and an opportunity for the immediate community to benefit from the trees when they start fruiting. It will create synergy between RCE Minna, its partners and the Butu Community in protecting the Park.

Environmentally, it will increase the tree stock in Minna and help in curbing the devastating effects of climate-change occasioned by harsh weather and dry spells among-others.
Objectives: 
The project objectives include:
1. To provide practical learning opportunities for the interns during their internship stay at RCE Minna.
2. To empower young people to participate in Climate Change Mitigation through research and idea generation.
3. To provide community ownership of the BAL-CCP and empower local communities through the planting of economic trees.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The interns took time to select the best cashew seeds that has better yield and high survival rate. This was achieved through partnership with an experienced community gardener and the help of RCE Minna Environment and Agricultural experts. Furthermore, two methods were employed during the planting, the controlled and uncontrolled method, to determine the germination percentage and growth rate. The control method was more fruitful; hence, it was adopted. The plants were kept in the premises of our partners and one of their staff handled the watering of the seedlings with regular supervision by the interns and RCE Minna team. After 6 months of nursing, over 400 seedlings have already germinated and were taken to the BAL-CCP for planting. It was planted together with the people of Butu Community who are to take ownership and care of the plants to maturity.
Size of academic audience: 
50
Results: 
Among the major results of the project includes:
1. It serves as a learning opportunity for both the interns and the RCE Minna Team.
2. It has further created synergy between RCE Minna, it partners and the Butu Community in managing the BAL-CCP through community ownership and shared benefits.
3. It has increased the number of trees and has reduced the effects of climate change in Minna.
Generally, during the project, the level of impact achieved by RCE Minna through the interns cannot be overemphasized, because they demonstrated commitment and dedication to the project and were motivated to always come around the Centre even after their 6 months stay.
Lessons learned: 
The project provided several lessons, specifically, it provided RCE Minna with the understanding that they could raised their seedlings locally without the need to break the bank in purchasing from vendors at high cost.

Initially, shade trees were predominantly the trees planted at the BAL-CCP and despite involving the locals some of the trees ended up been cut-off, to pave way for farming activities at the park. However, with the introduction of economic tress such cashew, the community took ownership of the project and are leading in managing them to fruition because of their enormous benefits at maturity.

Therefore, since the project is seen to be cost effective, preparation for the second phase is on to nurse 500 seeds of mango with the aim of planting them all at the over 5 hectares of land at the BAL-CCP.
Key messages: 
The project has succeeded in helping improve the environment, created synergy, enhanced learning and will provide economic benefits to the immediate community. This project we believe is a delibrate attempt to achieving the ESD 2030 priority action areas of “accelerating sustainable solutions at local level” and the SDGs goal 13 that is hinged on taking “urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
The project is related to the already existing efforts by RCE Minna in greening our communities through its several tree planting projects such as the Neighborhood Tree Planting Project, School Empowerment and Nutritional Supplementation through Agriculture (SENSA) (that won the RCE Network Flagship Award), Plant a Tree and Earn a Living and the Annual Tree Planting Drive through the World Environment Day Celebration among others.
Funding: 
The project was funded by RCE Minna and its partners.

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon IMG-20211125-WA0019.jpg (177.21 KB) Interns Preparing and RCE Minna Team for Planting of Cashew RCE Minna
Image icon IMG_19700120_141312.jpg (2.72 MB) RCE Minna Team Member Inspecting Cashew Seedlings After Some Weeks RCE Minna
Image icon IMG_20220828_110652.jpg (4.82 MB) Planting of the Cashew Seedlings at BAL-CCP by RCE Team and Members of Butu Community RCE Minna
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
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 
Indirect
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
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 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Indirect
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Direct
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Agriculture 
Indirect
Forests/Trees 
Direct
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes