Niger-Nigeria Border Under Threat from Desert Encroachment
Many communities in Katsina State, especially those in 10 local government areas bordering Niger Republic, are under the threat of desert encroachment which poses a great danger to agriculture, food security and water resources in the areas. The affected local governments are Daura, Maiadua, Zango, Sandamu, Baure, Jibia, Kaita, Mashi and Katsina.
Governor Aminu Bello Masari had recently sounded the alarm that the state was losing about five kilometres annually to desertification and called for greater attention to address the alarming situation.
The governor, who was speaking at the commissioning of the Green project initiated by the Yusuf Bala Usman College of Legal and General Studies, Daura.
According to him, the state had lost its forest and had only shrubs and grasses left, noting that the adverse effects were manifesting already. Residents of the affected areas are facing threat to livelihoods as their farms are becoming barren by the day, thereby recording drop in production with many abandoning their places in search for unavailable fertile lands to farm.
Eugene Kim