The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of the National Clean Cooking Policy, which will contribute to meeting Nigeria’s sustainable energy and emissions reduction targets.
Speaking at the 2025 Nigeria Clean Cooking Forum, Minister for Environment, Mallam Balarabe Lawal, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mallam Mahmud Adam Kambari, underscored the government’s resolve to ensure clean cooking energy for all Nigerian.
Biofuel clean cooking stove
In his address, he stated that “our Ministry recognises that clean cooking initiatives are crucial pathways to reducing emissions, bolster climate policies that foster entrepreneurship and achieving Nigeria’s target of net-zero emissions by 2060, as a result we are taking concrete steps toward the implementation of the National Clean Cooking Policy”. He emphasised the necessity of strong leadership in promoting clean cooking initiatives.
This year’s theme, ‘Clean Cooking Energy for All in Nigeria: Scaling-Up Sustainable Access and Adoption”, highlights the urgent need to address the pressing challenges of clean cooking access and adoption in Nigeria especially the need for innovative financing mechanisms to make clean fuels and technologies more affordable.
Despite advancements in promoting cleaner cooking technologies, recent trends indicate a concerning regression, with many households reverting to traditional polluting fuels. This reversal is largely driven by the rising costs of cleaner alternatives, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which has become increasingly unaffordable for a significant segment of the population.
In his welcome address, Ewah Otu Eleri, Executive Director, International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development (ICEED, and Chairman, Board of Trustee, Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cooking, noted that access to clean cooking should be seen as a human right, not a luxury.
“Just as governments around the world subsidise vaccines to save lives, we must do the same for clean cooking energy. Every woman and child has the right to breathe clean air and live free from the deadly smoke of traditional stoves. Investing in clean cooking is not just about technology – it’s about health, dignity, and justice for millions of Nigerian families”, he lamented.
Annett Gunther, Germany’s Ambassador to Nigeria, in her goodwill message, praised Nigeria’s ambitious goal of achieving 25 per cent annual progress towards clean cooking. She reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in enhancing access, fostering innovations, and strengthening institutions for clean cooking expansion.
The Team Lead for Green and Digital Economy in Nigeria at the European Union (EU), Ms. Inga Stefanowicz, reiterated the EU’s commitment to improving access to clean cooking through financing, policy development, and partnerships, highlighting the intersection of clean cooking with gender equality, social equity, and environmental impact.
Addressing the forum, Duke Benjamin, representing Dr Markus Wagner, Country Director for GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, said: “Strong collaboration among government, private sector, civil society, and development partners is needed to achieve universal access by 2030. This collaboration will make carbon finance accessible to community-based clean cooking projects. This would enhance the financial sustainability of the clean cooking sector while supporting Nigeria’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.”
Mr. Ben Nkechika, representing Bello Lawal, National President, ALGON, also called for stronger collaboration among all levels of government, even as he expressed the willingness of the 774 local government chairmen across the nation to support the clean cooking initiative and foster dialogue at local levels.
Olamide Fabuji, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Technology and Operations, in his goodwill message, detailed the government’s initiative to develop an integrated framework alongside the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and the Clean Cooking Alliance, stating, “The path ahead requires courage, collaboration, and capital. We must leverage technological innovation and mobilise financial resources to ensure no household is left behind.”
Dr. Abdullahi Mustapha, Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, represented by Dr. Izuchukwu Okafor, announced the Commission’s partnership with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to develop innovative clean cooking stoves aimed at enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing health hazards.
The forum called for public-private partnerships, greater investment in domestic LPG production and distribution infrastructure, and support for alternative fuels such as bioethanol and compressed biomass briquettes, capacity-building programmes for clean cooking entrepreneurs, the establishment of a national framework to streamline carbon credit certification, the need for smart and well-targeted subsidy mechanisms that prioritize vulnerable populations while preserving market sustainability, transparency, and accountability.
The 2025 Nigeria Clean Cooking Forum, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, from October 9-10, 2025, convened over 200 key stakeholders, including representatives from federal ministries and agencies, state governments, international development partners, stove and fuel producers, marketers, academia, and the media.
A coalition of stakeholders in Nigeria’s food sector has called for urgent measures to curb food waste and promote sustainable consumption, as part of efforts to reduce hunger and improve food security in the country.
They made the call at the “Table for All” event held in Abuja on Thursday, October 15, to commemorate the 2025 World Food Day.
It was themed “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”.
Food
Ms. Jennifer Dinchi-Zando, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Platters and Co Restaurant, said over 33 million Nigerians face persistent food insecurity, stressing the need for collective efforts to end hunger and food waste.
According to her, “This reminds us that food is not a privilege, it is a right, and it challenges us to work together in building systems that are fair, sustainable, and inclusive.
“We call on the government to do the needful; create better agricultural systems and a more conducive environment for all Nigerians to live a better life”.
Dinchi-Zando appreciated the contributions of local businesses and stakeholders for their commitment to ensuring that no one eats alone.
She also urged young people to participate actively in building Nigeria’s food system.
“Let us ensure that good food never goes to waste while others go hungry.
“Together, let’s share ideas on how leftovers from our businesses and our homes can be safely shared with people in our communities,” she said.
Mr. Roland Chidozie-Osondu, Centre Manager, Novare Central Mall, emphasised the need for food security and proper nutrition for every Nigerian.
“Hunger remains one of the gravest challenges facing humanity, and it is incumbent upon us to take concerted action to eradicate it,” he said.
A pharmacist with Medplus Pharmaceutical Company, Mr. Abubakar Abdulhamid, noted the role of nutrition in maintaining good health.
He called for greater access to nutrient-rich foods.
“Your food should be your medicine. So, the better you eat, the healthier you are,” he said.
A participant, Ms. Serah Emmanuel, said the event served as a reminder of the importance of unity and collective action in addressing food insecurity and improving nutrition nationwide.
“This event has shown that we all have a role to play in ensuring everyone has access to nutritious food,” she said.
Among the notable attendees were representatives of major companies, including Guinness Nigeria, Flour Mills Nigeria, and several local food producers.
They all pledged to support responsible consumption and production in line with Sustainable Development Goal 12.
The event also featured a farmers’ market where attendees purchased fresh fruits and vegetables, while 150 meals were distributed to members of the surrounding community.
Other activities included free health checks, counselling sessions, and the distribution of food items.
The Federal Government has intensified investment in agriculture through the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation to empower smallholder farmers and boost food and nutrition security in the country.
The Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation initiative aimed to empower smallholder farmers with modern equipment, reduce manual labor, and increase yields.
Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, stated this at the Ministerial news conference on Thursday, October 15, in Abuja to mark the 2025 World Food Day with the theme: “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.”
Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security
He said the theme emphasised the importance of global collaboration across governments, organisations, private sector, and communities to build a peaceful, sustainable, prosperous, and a food-secure future.
Abdullahi said that through supportive policies, rising investments and strategic partnerships taken by government, Nigeria’s agriculture is now poised for a stronger performance.
“The present administration has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to tackling the complex issues of food insecurity, economic instability, and agricultural development.
According to him, the government Tinubu recognises the critical role that agriculture plays in driving economic development and feeding the nation.
“The government has intensified investment in agriculture through various initiatives such as the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme.
“Recently, 2,000 tractors and over 9,000 specialised farming implements were inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu, for the cultivation of over 550,000 hectares of farmland.
” The expected outcome is to produce more than two million metric tonnes of staple foods and create jobs for Nigerian youths and women.
“This initiative aimed to empower smallholder farmers with modern equipment, reduce manual labor, and increase yields.
“The programme seeks to transform Nigeria’s agriculture sector and make it a global powerhouse.
“It was a momentous occasion that marked a significant milestone in our nation’s quest to enhance agricultural productivity and food security under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.
” It was also a major step forward in the nation’s agricultural mechanisation process that promises to enhance efficiency of our agricultural practices,” he said.
He said that President Tinubu also approved the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) with a massive N1.5 trillion, marking a monumental milestone in Nigeria’s agricultural financing landscape.
“Accordingly, the President has approved the sum of N250 billion credit facility through the Bank for disbursement to smallholder farmers at a single-digit interest rate.
“This unprecedented boost is targeted at promoting the agricultural sector and unlocking new opportunities for growth, development, and food security,” he said.
Abdullahi said in response to the numerous challenges faced by smallholder farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had developed short-term plans to make farm inputs more accessible and affordable.
“In line with President Bola Tinubu’s promise to ease economic hardship, we are supporting smallholder farmers in all the states of the federation and FCT with vital farm implements and inputs.
“I urge you all to get involved by educating ourselves about global food challenges and food insecurity.
“Let us advocate for policies and initiatives that will provide short, medium and long-term solutions to address hunger, food waste, and sustainable farming practices at the local, national, and international levels,” he said.
In a related development, local government leaders in Lagos State have reaffirmed their commitment to tackling hunger, promoting food sufficiency, empowering farmers and vulnerable households across their communities.
They made this known in separate messages on Thursday to mark the 2025 World Food Day, with the theme: “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”.
The Chairman of Ikosi Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mrs. Samiat Bada, said her administration remained steadfast in promoting access to nutritious food and supporting local farmers who play critical roles in strengthening food systems.
“At Ikosi Isheri LCDA, our administration is deeply committed to promoting access to nutritious food, empowering local farmers, and supporting small-scale producers,” Bada said.
She noted that since assuming office, her administration had implemented several empowerment and welfare programmes targeted at improving food sufficiency and reducing the impact of economic challenges on vulnerable households.
Bada explained that her council’s agricultural support initiatives were designed to enhance local production capacity and encourage residents especially young people to see agriculture and agribusiness as viable pathways to prosperity.
“This year’s theme emphasises teamwork and innovation. It reminds us of our shared responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and healthy food,” she added.
She urged residents, particularly the youth, to take advantage of agricultural opportunities in the area, while pledging continuous investment in initiatives that promote food security and sustainable livelihoods.
In a similar message, the Chairman of Kosofe Local Government Area, Mr. Moyosore Ogunlewe, said food security transcends individual effort and requires genuine partnership as well as shared responsibility among stakeholders.
“As we commemorate World Food Day, we recognise that food security demands collective responsibility and partnership,” Ogunlewe said.
He noted that the Kosofe Food Bank initiative exemplifies this spirit by ensuring that nutritious meals reach 5,000 households monthly, particularly those most affected by rising food costs and economic pressure.
“To our farmers, traders, and community members, your dedication strengthens our collective food sovereignty.
“Together, we shall build a future where no resident goes hungry, where sustainable agriculture flourishes, and where prosperity flows through our communities,” he said.
Ogunlewe reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to deepen agricultural development, empower traders, farmers, and cooperative groups within Kosofe to boost local production and reduce dependency on imported foods.
Also, Sanni Okanlawon, who represents Kosofe Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, said this year’s theme aligns with Nigeria’s drive toward inclusive agricultural reform and economic diversification.
Okanlawon, who also chairs the House Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, underscored the importance of unity, innovation, and inclusivity in building resilient food systems that guarantee access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food for all Nigerians.
He said sustainable agriculture, rural development, and environmental stewardship remain central to achieving lasting food security and economic growth.
“As the world reflects on this year’s theme, I urge every stakeholder from policymakers to farmers, from communities to consumers to work hand in hand toward a future where hunger is eradicated and prosperity is shared,” he said.
The lawmaker further noted that Lagos, being a densely populated and commercially active state, must lead by example through investment in urban farming, waste-to-feed initiatives, and innovative food distribution systems that strengthen resilience against global shocks.
He added that the synergy between government agencies, local councils, and private stakeholders would play a vital role in ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for residents.
The World Food Day is celebrated annually on Oct. 16.
The day was established by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1979 to raise global awareness about hunger, food insecurity, and sustainable agricultural practices.
Meanwhile, The Lagos State Government has restated its commitment to ensuring food security in spite of its geographical limitations.
The state made this known at the grand finale of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems event in commemoration of the 2025 World Food Day at the Police College Parade Ground on Thursday, in Ikeja.
In his keynote address, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mrs. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, the Secretary to the State Government, vowed the continued commitment of the government to ensure food security.
“I am delighted to join you today on the occasion commemorating the Y2025 World Food Day.
“This significant day underscores the importance of our shared responsibility to strengthen the state’s food system and serves as a collective call to action against hunger and malnutrition.
“This year’s theme: ‘Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future’, highlights the urgent need for collaboration among governments, the private sector, development organisations, and communities to transform agri-food systems, promote healthy diets, and safeguard our environment.
“For Lagos State, the challenge is unique. Despite being the smallest in landmass, Lagos is home to over 22 million people, making it the most densely populated state in Nigeria.
“Feeding such a vast population requires innovation, bold investments, and robust partnerships.
“Having recognised the importance of food security, this administration remains deeply committed to ensuring Lagos remains food secure despite its geographical limitations,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He also highlighted achievements in the government’s roadmap towards achieving a food secure Lagos, while collaborating with all relevant stakeholders in the sector.
“Our dedication is evident in the continuous provision of support for food production, infrastructure, and market systems designed to reduce high food prices and build a sustainable food reserve management structure.
“Agriculture remains the bedrock of Nigeria’s economic resilience—a sector that nurtures livelihoods, drives innovation, and sustains prosperity.
“In Lagos, we are redefining agriculture as a dynamic engine for growth, inclusion, and sustainability.
“As we commemorate World Food Day 2025, let us reaffirm our collective resolve to work hand in hand for better food systems and a better future for all,” Sanwo-Olu said.
In his goodwill message, an Executive Director at the British America Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF), Mr. Yarub Al-Bahrani, restated the foundation’s commitment in advancing agriculture and food security in the country.
“This year’s theme for the 2025 World Food Day: “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” echoes the mission of BATNF which, over the last two decades, has remained committed to empowering rural Nigeria and advocating the rights of smallholder farmers, laying the groundwork for a truly sustainable future.
“I am proud to reassure our unwavering commitment to this cause and our continued efforts to uplift rural communities across Nigeria.
“We firmly believe that the key to sustainable development lies in uplifting small holder farmers, the backbone of our food systems.
“Through targeted initiatives that deliver training, capacity building and financial support, we have profitably impacted over 300,000 farmers and reached more than 1.7 million beneficiaries, including women and youth all over the 36 states of the federation.
“Food security is not something we can do alone, but it’s a collaborative effort,” Al-Bahrani said.
Also, as part of the 2025 World Food Day celebration, the Lagos State Government celebrated farmers.
Best Agro-processor of the year was awarded to Farm Junction, while Erikorodo Poultry Association was awarded the Best Farm Estate, Ajara Farm Settlement bagged the Best Farm Settlement in the state.
Also, the Lagos Island Local Government Area bagged the Best Livestock Champion and Apapa Local Government Area was awarded the Best Agriculture champion.
Yaba Local Community Development Area won the best local government in agriculture practice.
The Best Artisanal Champion went to the Ejalonibu Fishermen Cooperative, while the Best Crop champion was won by the Daddy Louis Tomatoes Growers Association Badagry.
The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, has reiterated the country’s commitment to driving sustainable development and climate action.
Uzoka-Anite said this at the 14th meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in Washington D.C.
The meeting was on the sidelines of the 2025 International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank Group (WBG), annual meetings.
Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite
The Minister said that the country was advancing a sustainable finance strategy that integrates fiscal reforms to strengthen budgetary resilience, innovative instruments such as green bonds and carbon markets.
It also includes, she said, strategic partnerships to mobilise concessional and blended finance.
Uzoka-Anite said that to achieve this, the country was scaling nature-based solutions that deliver both mitigation and adaptation benefits, with transparent use of proceeds for infrastructure such as irrigation, transport, and early warning systems.
The Minister said that the country was also expanding its sovereign green bond programme with the successful issuance of the third green bond to finance both mitigation and adaptation priorities.
“We are committed to integrating climate change into our economic and financial policies.
“Our resilience finance strategy is designed to promote inclusive, climate-resilient growth and protect the livelihoods of our citizens,” Uzoka-Anite said.
She called for fair and predictable access to climate finance, stronger global collaboration to accelerate resilience investments, and enhanced support from development partners to blend concessional finance with private capital.
“We are ready to move from dialogue to delivery and from resilience to shared prosperity.”
Uzoka-Anite said that the approach would enable the country to introduce debt vulnerabilities while channelling resources into projects that protect livelihoods and promote inclusive, climate-resilient growth.
The UN on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, named four new World Restoration Flagships under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Recognising global efforts to heal degraded ecosystems, boost community incomes, and support food security, the announcement was made during a high-level side event at the World Food Forum in Rome, ahead of World Food Day.
The World Restoration Flagship awards, led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), spotlight some of the most ambitious and promising large-scale restoration efforts to halt land degradation and ensure healthier, more resilient agrifood systems.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, Inger Andersen. Photo credit: Eric Bridiers
The awards track and celebrate initiatives that contribute to global commitments to restore one billion hectares – an area roughly the size of China. In 2022, the inaugural 10 World Restoration Flagships were recognised, followed by seven initiatives in 2024 and three ocean-related initiatives in 2025.
“These Flagships show what is doable when people come together to reverse the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and waste,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “With the right investment, knowledge, and care, even degraded ecosystems can be restored – delivering wide-ranging benefits like food security and sustainable livelihoods.”
The four newly recognised World Restoration Flagships span 18 countries on four continents. They are already restoring more than 500,000 hectares – an area nearly five times the size of Rome, where FAO is marking its 80th anniversary this week. By the end of the decade, the initiatives expect to have under restoration almost 500,000 additional hectares of forests, mountains, farmlands, grasslands, shrublands and savannahs, as well as coastal and freshwater ecosystems.
“Restoring ecosystems is not just an environmental imperative – it is a cornerstone of global agrifood systems and resilience for the climate, for biodiversity, and for millions of people who depend on healthy ecosystems for foods and livelihoods,” said QU Dongyu, Director-General of FAO.
Collaborative Rangelands Restoration – Jordan
Tel al-Rumman, north of Amman, is an open mountainous forest area that had been severely degraded due to illegal overgrazing. When Jordan set out to establish its first botanic garden, instead of unclaimed forest land, ecologists met 4,500 sheep and the communities tending to them.
What could have led to conflict resulted in partnership instead. The Royal Botanic Gardens is now working together with traditional herders on reviving sustainable practices, and 180 hectares are being restored to showcase all of Jordan’s unique plants and ecosystems. Biomass production is already growing more than eight-fold, benefiting local herders. Communities can now make use of seven times more grazing days, lower feed costs, and income that more than doubled. The number of herding families has also grown more than 10 times over.
The programme’s participatory model demonstrates that restoring biodiversity can strengthen food production and community trust, using both scientific methods and traditional knowledge on range practices, livestock diseases and medicinal plant use.
Revitalizing Korea’s Forests after Fire – Republic of Korea
The Uljin forest fire will be remembered as one of the Republic of Korea’s worst ecological disasters, burning through over 20,000 hectares in about 10 days.
This World Restoration Flagship in Uljin-gun is restoring the country’s valuable forests while prioritising community livelihoods and post-fire resilience. This includes reviving native plant species such as the endangered spike rosebay and the habitat of the long-tailed goral, a small goat-like mammal. The entire fire-damaged area is expected to be restored by 2030.
The Republic of Korea took a unique approach to post-fire restoration, focused on bringing back biodiversity over economically viable tree species, and involving communities along the way. The country is home to one of only two major doomsday seed vaults worldwide. Complementing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, which focuses on crop species, the Republic of Korea’s Baekdudaegan vault at the Native Plant Seed Supply Centre was established in 2023 in response to the forest fire. It saves and researches wild tree and plant seeds, supporting efforts to bounce back from fires.
The Restoration Initiative working across Africa and Asia
This initiative brings together nine countries: Cameroon, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Pakistan, Sao Tome and Principe, and Tanzania. Supported since 2018 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), FAO, UNEP and the Global Environment Fund (GEF), this initiative aims to overcome barriers to large-scale restoration, sharing know-how on improving awareness, monitoring, supporting businesses, and drawing investments.
The initiative has already brought over 310 000 hectares under restoration and 717 000 under improved management practices, and it plans to restore over 160 000 additional hectares by 2030. To date, over 420 000 people have directly benefited from the programme, while mitigating over 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent – about the same level of emissions from eight coal-fired power plants in one year.
The Restoration Initiative is designed to translate global restoration goals to local contexts – for example by boosting local restoration economies, such as nurseries, training smallholder farmers and pastoralists, removing invasive species and informing government policies.
Bamboo-based restoration – multiple countries
Across nine countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, bamboo is being harnessed as a fast-growing, sustainable plant for land restoration, reversing the impacts of intense agriculture, logging, demand for fuelwood and charcoal and climate change.
Bamboo-based restoration supports poverty reduction, creating livelihoods, carbon storage, land degradation and biodiversity loss, including iconic bamboo lemurs, gorillas and the giant panda.
The initiative, led by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR), has already restored about 200,000 hectares and benefited a similar number of people from improved livelihoods and incomes. By 2030, the initiative aims to attract investments to restore an additional 300,000 hectares. This is being achieved through knowledge development and capacity building of governments and local communities. Key enabling factors for this initiative include the harmonisation of policies, the participation of multiple sectors in the economy, respecting Indigenous People’s rights and cultural considerations, and scientifically choosing appropriate bamboo species – out of 1,600 existing species and building appropriate value-chains.
In 2022, the inaugural 10 World Restoration Flagships were recognised as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, followed by the recognition of seven initiatives in 2024, and three ocean-related initiatives earlier in 2025.
The Nigerian Content Academy Lecture Series organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) got off to a thought-provoking start on Friday, October 10, 2025, with a panoramic overview of local content strategy and implementation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and a word of caution to industry players to not trifle with the initiative.
In a presentation on the topic “Staying the Nigerian Content Course in the Midst of Delivery Challenges,” the pioneer Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Dr. Ernest Nwapa, addressed several industry issues, dismissing the notion that the absence of final investment decisions (FIDs) in the country’s oil and gas sector over a period of time was caused by stringent implementation of local content policies by the NCDMB. According to him, “There are many government policies that are affecting FIDs.”
Pioneer Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Dr. Ernest Nwapa
He admitted that the oil and gas industry stakeholders face “an increasingly complex environment shaped by global energy trends, shifting investment patterns and heightened expectations for local participation and value addition.”
On suggestions that the future of local content policies is under intense scrutiny, Dr. Nwapa, a one-time Group General Manager, Nigerian Content Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (2005-2010), noted that such unfounded fears had always been advocated by some industry stakeholders averse to the idea of local content.
He drew attention to some unhealthy trends in the oil and gas industry, noting that “there are unintended ambiguities in the Presidential Directives” introduced in February 2024. Such ambiguities, he pointed out, need to be addressed by stakeholders. He regretted that the ambiguities in the Presidential Directives have created systemic problems, and that there has to be “institutional adjustment to re-enact the authority in the NCDMB directives.”
He decried what he described as “lack of respect for the authority of the NCDMB within some industry stakeholder groups,” arguing that “when the Board writes a letter and says this is what stands on Nigerian Content, nobody questions it.”
Continuing, he declared, “If you challenge a letter from the NCDMB, it wouldn’t stand.” He said it is wrong for any agency to put aside a letter from the Board and continue doing things in its own way.
Dr. Nwapa, a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), pointed out that Nigerian Content has been a national aspiration with mixed results since the Nigerian economic development model was conceived.
According to him, statutes like the Petroleum Act, 1969, the Joint Venture (JV) agreements, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), and creation of NAPIMS, all had been conceived to achieve some measure of local content. There was also the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, 2003. But all these were incomparable to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010.
In his words, “Our young engineers, our young technicians now have places to go to acquire practical skills” because a lot of projects are going on in the country. For specifics, he declared, “If you look at the number of Nigerians that worked in Egina at the Integration Yard [SHI-MCI Fabrication and Integration Yard, Tarkwa Bay, Lagos], it’s not something you can just underestimate. So we need to know there are serious consequences for failure of what we’ve started.”
Dr. Nwapa argued: “Things around high costs of local content…are things that we have to continue to work on to see how we can have them reduced.” He said argued further that if you don’t start practising local content and get your people involved, the costs gap will be wider and wider, “so it’s either you decide to bite the bullet right now and use activities within your local economy to drive the costs to competitive levels or you can forget about it and not do it at all.”
He advised that cost of projects needs to be evaluated on a project-by-project basis and handled strategically by the Board. He insisted that “NCDMB has “the power to do that, working with the industry players,” who would provide the information and matrices.
Dr. Nwapa also advised that the Nigerian Content Academy, a division of the NCDMB, should be “a place where we test theories, and we go outside to the field and have strong workshop discussions and analysis, and proffer practical recommendations,” which could be taken to the NCDMB Executive Secretary or right up to The Presidency.
When the moderator of the Lecture Series and Director of the Academy, Dr. Ama Ikuru, invited questions and comments from participants, Mr. Simeon Ogari, Nigerian Content Manager of SEPLAT Energy Limited, sought to know why there is Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content (NOGIC) Joint Qualification System (JQS) and a parallel JQS operated by NIPEX [Nigerian Petroleum Exchange].
Nwapa said the situation had been so for some time but that it has not disrupted industry activities, and that differences could be sorted out in time. Other participants who sought clarifications include Mr. Isoboye Amachree of Oando PLC, Mr. Kamselem Mohammed and Barr. Naboth Onyesoh, Director, Legal Services, of NCDMB.
The Nigerian Content Academy Lecture Series hold weekly and are intended to raise awareness of trends and issues in the oil and gas industry, and thus empower Nigerians to take full advantage of economic opportunities in that sector
TheYaku Mama Amazon Flotilla is launching a symbolic journey from the city of Coca in Ecuador to demand a new paradigm: placing the Amazon at the heart of the fight for climate justice and promoting an end to fossil fuel extraction and use.
Connecting the Andes to the Amazon, a coalition of 60 Indigenous and territorial organisations, alongside allies from around the world, will travel more than 3,000 kilometres towardCOP30,to be held in Belém, Brazil, in early November. This journey is not just an act of protest but a powerful demand: climate justice must become a reality, and fossil fuel extraction in the Amazon must end now.
he “Yaku Mama Amazon Flotilla” begins a journey that rewrites history
The flotilla participants previously gathered in Quito as a starting point. This choice was not merely symbolic but sought to confront history: it was from this city, in 1541, that Francisco de Orellana’s expedition departed, culminating in the “discovery” of the Amazon River. Today, the Yaku Mama Amazon Flotilla symbolically reverses that route of conquest into one of connection, honouring the resistance of Indigenous Peoples and the first continental uprising of 1992, with the goal of making the world finally listen to the voices of the territories.
“This journey is an act of resistance and empowerment that links the climate crisis to its colonial and extractivist roots, positioning the peoples who have contributed least to it as the most affected. It is an urgent call to COP30 to recognise that true climate justice is born from the land, flows with its rivers, and is sustained by those who protect it,”stated Lucía Ixchú, a Maya K’iche’ Indigenous woman from Guatemala and spokesperson for the flotilla.
To begin the journey, the flotilla’s crew, together with ally organisations, will hold a symbolic funeral to bid farewell to the era of fossil fuels that has devastated the Amazon. This collective action denounces the false solutions that, in the name of the energy transition, continue to impose extractive projects and new sacrifice zones on Indigenous territories. In response, the Amazonian peoples reclaim their right to decide over their territories and to lead the way toward a just and living transition without creating new sacrifice zones through mining, oil spills, and monocultures.
The Yaku Mama Amazon Flotillademands a supposedly fair and binding energy transition.Indigenous Peoples urge governments and companies to ensure that any clean energy project respects Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and puts an end to fossil fuel developments that jeopardise their territories and ways of life.
At the same time, they call for the recognition and protection of intangible zones for Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI), whose existence and well-being depend on territories free from exploitation. Protecting these forests not only guarantees the survival of these peoples but also preserves biodiversity, maintains global climate balance, and ensures the quality of life for all inhabitants of the planet.
The journey begins at a critical time for the Amazon. According to a report presented by the Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project (MAAP) last year, 2024 marked a devastating record with the loss of 4.5 million hectares of primary forest due to deforestation and fires. This destruction is driven by the advance of extractivism; the same study reveals that deforestation from gold mining has increased by over 50% since 2018, with 36% of it occurring within protected areas and Indigenous territories.
The River That Flows: From History to Hope
“We are in Ecuador today for a very specific reason. Centuries ago, missions departed from Quito that claimed the ‘discovery’ of the Great Amazon River, bringing conquest to our territories,” affirmed Leo Cerda, a Kichwa Indigenous person from Napo, Ecuador.
“We too have come to Quito, that historic starting point, to reclaim this route. And on October 16th, from Francisco de Orellana – the city of Coca – we will embark on a new journey that honours the memory of struggle and resistance of the Amazonian Indigenous Peoples. We also dedicate this journey to the memory of October 12 as a symbol of the resilience of the Peoples of the Americas. We set out not to conquer, but to connect; so that the world, finally, will listen to the voices of the territory,”he added.
The flotilla is composed of a delegation of 50 people, including representatives of Indigenous peoples and civil society organisations from the Amazon, Mesoamerica, the Republic of Congo, and Indonesia. It will travel the Amazon River to denounce the “scars of extractivism” – such as illegal mining and deforestation – and, at the same time, highlight the strength of the living alternatives in their communities, such as productive enterprises, territorial monitoring, and ancestral science.
The Era of Fossil Fuels in the Amazon Must End
Fossil fuels not only harm the environment; they are a driver of social violence, according to observers.
Worldwide, especially in the Amazon, defending the territory has become a death sentence. According to the latest report from Global Witness, published in 2024, between 2012 and 2024 alone, at least 2,253 defenders have been murdered or have disappeared, 40% of whom were Indigenous.
Violence against the Amazon is manifested in the silent expansion of the oil and fossil gas industry. Between 2012 and 2020, the number of exploitation fields increased by 13%, and today, extraction is present in eight of the nine Amazonian countries. According to InfoAmazonia and Arayara, oil exploration overlaps with 441 ancestral territories and 61 natural protected areas, devouring the rainforest and directly threatening the lives and self-determination of Indigenous peoples. Across the Pan-Amazon, there are 933 oil and gas blocks, of which 472 are in Brazil, 71 in Ecuador, 59 in Peru, and 47 in Colombia, many located within protected areas or Indigenous territories.
The impact of this industry is devastating: between 2000 and 2023, Peru recorded 831 oil spills, and Ecuador, 1,584 between 2012 and 2022. In Brazil, the attempt to open a new oil frontier at the mouth of the Amazon – Petrobras’FZA-M-59 block – was rejected three times by IBAMA due to risks to biodiversity. Deforestation associated with oil infrastructure, such as roads and pipelines, fragments the forest and facilitates access to previously untouched areas. Furthermore, gas flaring and spills contaminate air, water, and soil, affecting the health of 1.2 million people living within five kilometres of active wells, according to Greenpeace.
Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels which generates 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC-AR5), is pushing the forest to its limit: extreme droughts, severe floods, and a growing vulnerability to fire threaten to push the Amazon toward a point of no return.
Demanding climate justice is also demanding justice for those who sustain the planet’s hope. COP30 cannot continue with sustainability rhetoric while extractive projects keep expanding. The Yaku Mama Amazon Flotilla demands a fair and binding energy transition that respects the rights of Indigenous Peoples and guarantees anAmazon free of oil, gas, and coal. Only then will it be possible to protect the life, dignity, and biodiversity that the Amazonian peoples have always cared for.
“For us, the Indigenous Peoples, the climate crisis is not a distant problem. It is the invasion of our lands, the contamination of our rivers, and a direct threat to the lives of our children. Defending the Amazon is not just a fight for nature; it is a fight for our own existence. There can be no climate justice without justice for the peoples who have cared for this land for millennia. At COP30, we demand that they listen to our voices and take real action by banning fossil fuel extraction once and for all,” indicated Kelly Guajajara, a young Guajajara Indigenous woman from Brazil and representative of Midia Indigena.
Indigenous Peoples as Part of The Climate Solution
The flotilla carries the argument that Indigenous Peoples are not only victims of the climate crisis but are also actors with living solutions. Their journey is a testament to how ancestral knowledge and local practices are vital for global climate governance.
“This flotilla is not just a protest; it is a living message navigating the veins of the Amazon. The river itself shows us its scars: the oil slicks, the wound of mining. But in every community, we visit, we also find resilience and solutions. We are not just coming to bring a problem to COP30; we are coming to present the answers that our peoples and the forest have cultivated for millennia,” stated Alexis Grefa, a young Kichwa Amazonian from Ecuador.
In contrast to this devastation, the Flotilla seeks to highlight Indigenous Peoples as the most effective climate solution. Science backs this up: according to the 2024 MAAP report, Indigenous Territories and Protected Areas cover nearly half of the Amazon (49.5%) and store 60% of all its carbon. Between 2013 and 2022, while the rest of the basin became a net source of emissions, these territories functioned as carbon sinks, absorbing 257 million metric tons.
Studies show that Indigenous Peoples manage or have rights to a quarter of the Earth’s land surface, which contains 37% of the intact natural lands and a third of the planet’s forest landscapes. Biodiversity also remains more stable in these territories than in similar ecosystems outside of them, even in conflict zones.
This scientific backing confirms that Indigenous Peoples not only protect their territory and ways of life but also play a critical role in the global climate balance, a central theme of COP30.
Calls to Action and Key Demands for COP30
The caravan demands that decision-makers at COP30 take concrete measures to:
Recognise and guarantee the territorial rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities as the most effective climate strategy to protect forests, rivers, and biodiversity.
Ensure direct funding without intermediaries for those who care for life, strengthening the protection of critical ecosystems and resilience to the climate crisis. Although $1.7 billion was pledged at COP26, 76% of the Green Climate Fund’s funds remain in the hands of international intermediaries.
The energy transition cannot be repeated on the same wounded territories. Guaranteeing the full participation and decision-making power of Indigenous Peoples is essential to prevent the continued creation of new sacrifice zones in the name of progress.
Integrate the protection of land defenders into all climate policies.
“Just a few days ago in Ecuador, we bid farewell to Efraín Fuérez, Rosa Elena Paqui, y José Alberto Guamán a Kichwa Otavalo leaders and territory defenders, who was murdered during the national strike. Their memory joins our journey as a reminder that demanding climate justice is also demanding justice for those who, with their lives, sustain the hope of the planet,”affirmed Leo Cerda.
“The flotilla is not just a journey: it is a demand. We are not going to Belém to ask for a space; we are going to demand that climate policies be built from the territories, with justice for those of us who care for life,”their declaration underscores.
Our attention has been drawn to the context and content of the recently approved pardons by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, extended to a mixture of convicted murderers, kidnappers, drug dealers, coup plotters, armed robbers and illegal miners totaling 175. While we hold no hard opinions about those pardoned by the President, we are, however, concerned about a recent statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Mr Bayo Onanuga, publicly announcing the justifications for the pardons and clemency.
In A Statehouse news release titled “Details of the Presidential Pardon and Clemency”, Mr. Onanuga had stated: “Illegal miners, white-collar convicts, remorseful drug offenders, foreigners, Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, capital offenders such as Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro Wiwa, and the other Ogoni Eight were among the 175 convicts and former convicts who received President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mercy on Thursday.”
The late Ken Saro-Wiwa
Further in the statement, Mr. Onanuga also referred to four Ogoni leaders who were unfortunately murdered by a mob in 1995, and whose murder the Ogoni 9 were framed for, as “victims of the Ogoni 9”. This later reference paints a sordid and misleading picture that the Ogoni 9 were, in actual fact, murderers.
The statement by the Presidential Adviser is laced with insinuations and references that have no bearing on history, reality and globally acceptable facts about the occurrences that led to the execution of Ken Saro Wiwa and his fellow rights activists on November 10, 1995. For the avoidance of doubt, it is critical to reiterate the well-established facts.
In 1958, Ogoniland emerged as a focal area within Nigeria’s growing oil economy, contributing major revenues to the country’s economy. Unfortunately, the benefits from oil resources have not reached the Ogoni people in any significant measure. Rather, Ogoni communities have for decades borne the impacts of the industry’s adverse activities. In 1970, Ogoniland witnessed Nigeria’s first major oil spill arising from an error by Shell, a spill that continued for three whole weeks with devastating consequences for the livelihoods of the people.
Since then, oil spills and blowouts have occurred on a regular basis in Ogoniland. Estimates have it that in the 15-year period between 1976 and 1991, there were 2,976 recorded oil spills in Ogoniland. It was this level of neglect and ecological destruction that led to the adoption of the 1990 Ogoni Bill of Rights, a landmark document that demanded the right of the Ogoni people to protect their environment and ecology from further degradation.
Among others, the Bill describes the Ogoni case as a “genocide being committed in the dying years of the twentieth century by multi-national oil companies under the supervision of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
The Ogoni people, mobilised under the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), called the attention of the world to the poverty, neglect and environmental destruction which decades of oil exploitation had bequeathed on the Ogoni people. MOSOP demanded fairer benefits to the Ogoni people from oil wealth, as well as remediation and compensation for the ecological damage caused by the reckless activities of oil companies.
The Nigerian military government responded to the demands and non-violent protests of the people with vicious repression. A military operation was initiated in Ogoniland. The mass killings and widespread carnage that the military visited on the Ogonis remain largely undocumented. Thousands of Ogonis lost their lives, and many others went into forced exile around the world.
In May 1994, capitalising on the unfortunate killing of four prominent Ogoni leaders by a mob of yet-to-be-identified persons in Gokana local government area, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, and Barinem Kiobel were arrested. After a few months of predetermined trial by a special military tribunal, a sentence of death was pronounced on Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others on October 31, 1995.
Ten days after, within the period the accused persons could appeal the judgement, the nine were immediately executed on November 10, 1995, against a backdrop of outrage, global condemnation and eventually, international sanctions on Nigeria. It is important to note that this was a trial in which forced witnesses recanted their testimonies, and the accused’s lawyers withdrew due to the tribunal’s predetermined, biased position.
What Ogonis and indeed the world have consistently demanded is an admission that the quasi-judicial process, which resulted in the conviction of the Ogoni 9, was a mockery of justice orchestrated by the military government with the active collaboration of Shell to quell community demands for resources and ecological justice. What we continue to demand is the complete exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his eight comrades.
The reference to Ken Saro-Wiwa and his comrades by the Presidency is insensitive and offensive to their memory and that of other victims of environmental injustice. It does little to bring closure to the families of those killed, and thousands of families who suffered indignity, abuse and losses on account of the reckless military expedition in Ogoni led by Major Paul Okuntimo and Dauda Musa Komo.
It is unacceptable that, despite overwhelming evidence of the miscarriage of justice against the Ogoni 9, which resulted in their hurried execution, the Nigerian state still considers them guilty and deserving of a pardon. In the said statement, no mention was made of the abuse of the judicial process nor of the fact that the constitutional right to appeal was not extended to the 9.
It is particularly interesting to note that, in reference to Sir Herbert Macaulay, whom the President considers having been unjustly treated by the colonialists, the statement had the following additional statement: “President Tinubu also corrected the historic injustice committed by British colonialists against Sir Herbert Macaulay, one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists”. One wonders why the same clarification was not provided for the Ogoni 9.
We are equally concerned that the half-hearted pardon extended by the President may be a strategic ploy to resume the extraction of crude oil in Ogoniland, a move that has so far been condemned and resisted by all well-meaning Nigerians.
We call on President Bola Tinubu to immediately withdraw the “pardon” to Ken Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues and replace it with an unequivocal apology and condemnation of the faulty judicial process that resulted in their murder, followed by a gazette pronouncement quashing their murder conviction.
Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, and Barinem Kiobel were exemplary leaders of the Ogoni nation who responded peacefully to the plight of their people and the destruction of their environment. Their commitment to right historical wrongs against their people and the environment should be recognised and commended.
By Health of Mother Earth Foundation, We the People, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, Environmental Rights Action, Kebetkache Women Dev. & Resource Centre, MiideeKor Environmental Development, Peoples Advancement Centre, Social Action, Ogoni People’s Assembly, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Oilwatch Africa, Rights Advocacy and Development Centre, Lekeh Development Foundation and Civil Rights Council
The article considers Morocco’s current social context and suggests a pathway forward to advance inclusive, locally driven development that achieves the life goals of the people
So much of world poverty today can be accounted for by the gap between vision, intention, and the codification of policies to support people’s own driven change and growth juxtaposed against unsatisfactory implementation, the lack of application, and a deepening stratification. The disappointment, very real, is made heavier because of how needless the lack of fulfillment really is.
In Morocco, in rural and urban places, opportunities abound. The national frameworks for shared sustainable growth are thoughtful and well-articulated. People cherish their origins in every part of the Kingdom, and they, like most everyone everywhere, just want to work and work so hard when the chance is at hand.
King Mohammed VI of Morocco
I never found reason to blame communities or groups of people for the poverty conditions. Society’s and historical circumstances combined with inconsistent application of established programs and budgets account for failures to bridge the “two speeds” of development that are found, as His Majesty King Mohammed IV recently described, which generations in the nation have yet to overcome.
Drawing from His Majesty’s vision, Morocco’s youth and rural communities and neighborhoods can determine and achieve the development projects that respond directly to their specific needs. At the same time, this can inspire countries of the world who face their own desperation and fragility.
Projects that create growth and endure, and that are experienced directly by the communities of people who need them most, must be determined by them. There is no more widely-identified lesson learned than this: people commit their energy and time to maintain development that they have identified, manage, and receive benefits from. How, though, is this achieved?
Across cultures and experiences, and certainly over decades in Morocco, communities’ own determination of local socioeconomic and environmental projects does not necessarily ensure that those initiatives resonate directly with their self-described interests. This is especially true when they, like most people in our world, have never been asked their vision prior to the fortunate circumstance of engaging in inclusive community dialogue to plan actions for their development.
How do they respond when they have not yet introspectively considered their hearts’ goals in life or built the confidence to voice and pursue them? How do they react when they feel, in their local setting, the social controls that come with tradition or the roles they are expected to play based on their age, gender, and demographic?
Morocco champions ministerial and national strategies for community-driven projects in agriculture, education, health, business development, and other essential areas. It needs to vastly invest in empowerment – personal and collective development-envisioning programmes – so that the local communities of the nation (beginning with women and youth) cultivate the clarity of project objectives, backed by determination, to understand and achieve their own project dreams. Open forums that don’t first build a sense of personal direction and self-analysis of individuality, social relationships, work outlook, and other key areas of life result into a disconnect between the projects that emerge and what people actually want.
Empowerment before project planning aligns people’s sincere will with defined project types and goals. These shared growth movements necessitate trained facilitators who build their skills through a learning-by-doing experience.
Youth are an incredibly promising demographic to perform this agency role. Clearly, they have immense desire. They seek a productive, acknowledged outlet to improve their society, and they are essential for locally driven processes that achieve employment and a better world. Young people are also pained. They are organising and calling out. In Morocco is seen the exasperation of youths’ innate calling being widely denied.
Where and how do we train our youth so that they may be the initiators of community action to define and pursue projects to meet their priority needs? The established youth centers in all parts of the nation generally represent enormous possibilities but are severely under-resourced and understaffed. These locations should be empowerment training grounds where young people not only pursue their own self and community development but also build their capacities as assistants of these processes, ones who create self and group exploration experiences.
All public universities in Morocco have established strategies to provide applied experiences for students involving community engagement, but here again, the resources to effectively achieve this necessity are absent. A significant proportion of public university students are from rural places. With their key skills in advancing locally-designed development and with support, they would fully embrace the opportunity to return to their countryside and create initiatives with other young people and with communities as a whole.
Vital to all of this is the training of teachers, professors, youth center directors and staff, civil association members, members of municipal councils, and administerial personnel who engage with local people in these techniques of inspiring and guiding individuals and groups toward empowerment. We cannot expect university students and participants at youth centers to know or even dedicate themselves in this way without guidance from the professionals responsible for these institutions.
With a determined focus and resources for personal and community action planning and self-belief-building workshops, we gain clarity about the most important projects that the people seek to implement. Even as empowerment workshops are completely central for sustainable development, they cannot replace the absolutely essential need for project fulfillment. The people’s initiatives must become real to generate jobs, food security, economic and environmental resiliency, water access and management, artisanal and agricultural cooperatives, family literacy, cultural heritage preservation, school infrastructure, and other priorities.
Of the multiple excellently formulated policies for sustainable development that have been codified since the ascendancy of His Majesty the King to the throne in 1999, the Roadmap of decentralization is certainly among the most creative and has the most potential toward forming a prosperous future. Even as it is embraced by law, its practical manifestation is commonly considered inadequate.
A primary reason for its delay in impacting people at the local level is that most communities have not experienced their own empowerment, and inclusive, participatory dialogue and planning for the future is not their typical modus operandi. When further decision-making authority is transferred to already socially stratified locations, decentralisation can actually entrench those imbalances even further where those who have privilege and capital gain even more influence. Decentralisation thus follows when communities collectively act, jointly design, and engage in the decision making to accomplish shared personal and group-related goals.
Morocco’s decentralisation is regionalisation, building the administrative capacity within its 12 regional capitals with the outcome of not enough strengthening of local cooperatives that are formed and managed by the people. The delegation component of decentralisation which harnesses the community dimension needs tangible strengthening. It’s difficult to imagine the highly centralised public administration effectively decentralising itself. The rate of this necessary decentralising process is not outpacing the ability for the people to help meet their own vital needs.
A ministry of decentralisation, not handed to the ruling party of the government but under direct accountability to His Majesty the King as the nation’s final arbiter, may be what is needed to ensure the deconcentration component of Morocco’s decentralisation. This intersectoral collaboration at all administrative tiers complies with the other elements of Morocco’s decentralisation Roadmap to ultimately fulfill the local people’s own development projects.
I imagine no one has greater frustration and disappointment than the King of Morocco, who has envisioned and established every principle guide needed for community-propelled opportunity. He also established the priority of mountainous regions and oases that cover 30 percent of the country, where economic, educational, and health difficulties are comparatively the greatest. But what indication have we that governments will actually overcome the systemic divide as the majority of youth and women in rural places bear the heaviest of poverty’s burden?
I have passed years of my life in the mountains of Morocco, dedicated to the people’s development. The most effective strategies for widespread development fulfillment can only come by the commitment of time to be impressed upon by their own derived pathway forward. Once empowered growth visions are built by the people, creating proposals and business plans is then a side-by-side affair, if the level of literacy skills is not currently existing locally to create the written plans that financial donors require. Infrastructural and community-action replication is faster-moving when the most distant villages in the furthest municipalities from provincial capitals are the first engaged (rather than working from closest to city centers outward, which is more typically the case).
But are public servants broadly enough so dedicated and do they have the means to travel as widely as critically required to co-create communities’ proposals to help secure the resources they need to launch their project dreams? I have seen amazingly stalwart and truly admirable public officials across agencies, and hope in my heart for their continued good rise. The opening of the catalyst and facilitator function in jurisdictions of the Kingdom is there for youth to assume, and they can know it and have the strengthened ability to fulfill it with applied learning programs of national importance.
In regard to cost, consider this as an example and frame of reference. There are 1,538 municipalities in Morocco, and 1,282 are rural. Having assisted rural communities in all 12 regions in their planning of the projects they want most of all, has revealed that water infrastructure for drinking and recycling for irrigation; capacity building with civil and cooperative groups in production activities, organisational management, and training of trainers for scale; mountain terracing for food production and stemming erosion; resilient fruit and forestry tree and medicine plant agriculture; product processing and other value-added activities such as carbon offset credits; school infrastructure; and historic preservation that enhances livelihoods are among the most common priority initiatives decided by the people.
An average cost to implement these projects enabled by trained youth and other facilitators of empowerment and community planning is approximately $3 million per rural municipality. In other words, $4 billion dedicated in this decentralised methodology could not only eradicate rural poverty and enable youth, women, and farming communities who have experienced the severest inequality in Morocco to achieve their best future where they are from, but it could also give new meaning of responsibility for time to come on what it means to be hosting the world for global sporting, cultural, and other humanity-unifying events.
Morocco can show all nations that the divide between aspiration and reality can be overcome and that the gap of sadness and the distressing loss of people’s potential can finally be no more.
By Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, President of the High Atlas Foundation in Morocco
A landmark six-year programme to build a climate-resilient and low-emission dairy sector is now underway across East Africa. The Dairy Interventions for Mitigation and Adaptation (DaIMA) programme, led by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with $150 million in co-financing from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), represents a total investment of $358 million.
The project that was presented at the recently concluded 9th International Greenhouse Gas and Animal Agriculture (GGAA) conference in Nairobi will directly benefit 2.5 million rural people in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda and indirectly reach an additional 15.4 million individuals along the dairy value chain.
A farmer in the dairy sector
The dairy sector is central to food security and livelihoods in East Africa but faces mounting pressure from climate change, including heat stress and drought. The productivity and efficiency of East African Dairy systems can be strengthened which will reduce emissions and ensure more resilience of the production systems. This will be done through equipping smallholder farmers with climate information, improved breeding and veterinary services, better reproduction and feed management and innovative technologies to enhance productivity while cutting emissions.
The programme is already operational through four IFAD projects aligned with national priorities in the target countries. These programmes strengthen institutions and policy frameworks while introducing climate-responsive practices such as improved feed and fodder systems, manure management, and pasture restoration. It seeks to restore nearly 180,000 hectares of rangeland and support more than two million dairy cattle.
“DaIMA is about transforming the backbone of East Africa’s dairy sector,” said Sara Mbago, Regional Director, East and Southern Africa, IFAD. “By combining innovation, investment and policy reform, we are helping farmers adapt to a changing climate while reducing emissions and creating opportunities for growth.”
The programme is expected to boost milk production by 34 percent and reduce emissions by 2.1 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent over 20 years. Its holistic approach strengthens veterinary and extension services, enhances breeding and feeding systems, restores degraded lands, and expands access to climate information. A dedicated Green Dairy Financing Facility will unlock climate finance for farmers, cooperatives and small and medium-sized enterprises, accelerating the shift to low-emission value chains.
DaIMA preparation brings together a powerful coalition of partners, including IFAD, GCF, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the FAO Investment Centre, the Global Methane Hub, the Global Dairy Platform and USAID Food and Agriculture. It places strong emphasis on inclusion, ensuring women, youth and marginalised communities are at the centre of climate action and benefit equitably from the transformation.
As climate pressures intensify, DaIMA stands as a blueprint for sustainable agricultural transformation, linking innovation, finance and policy to build a low-emission, climate-smart dairy economy across East Africa.
ILRI will provide technical assistance to the four countries on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of GHG emissions, as a regional center of excellence in this area with its Mazingira centre.
“DaIMA programme represents a major milestone for the dairy sector. By scaling up low-emission, climate-resilient solutions, DaIMA directly supports the implementation of the Paris Agreement, accelerating the sustainable transformation of the dairy sector in the region,” said Appolinaire Djikeng, the Director General of ILRI.
