Kwali: The World Bank has described Nigeria’s Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project as a model for Africa, ranking it among the institution’s most successful interventions in recent years.
According to Voice of Nigeria, during an engagement with residents of Kwali in the Federal Capital Territory, the Bank’s Practice Manager for Environment in West Africa and the Sahel, Ellysa Baroudy, highlighted the project’s success in integrating climate action, landscape restoration, and livelihood support to deliver tangible results for communities. Baroudy noted that while the Bank often struggles to achieve lasting success in large-scale development programmes, ACReSAL in Nigeria had exceeded expectations by tackling land degradation, empowering women, boosting food production, and transforming vulnerable communities into active participants in climate resilience.
Baroudy expressed her admiration for the project’s impact, stating, “I was touched by the women’s voices and hearing how this project had made a change to the livelihoods. I was impressed with seeing before and after photos of the changes in the landscape and the reduction in the gullies. So I know that you’ve all done tremendous amounts. We’ve only been the financiers, but we don’t always have successful projects. But this is a successful project. You knew how to deploy the resources and they are really there to make a difference to people’s lives.”
She acknowledged the efforts of the ‘ACReSAL family’ and described the warm welcome in Kwali as a reflection of the project’s strong community ownership. In addition, Dr. Joy Agene, the World Bank Task Team Leader for ACReSAL, emphasized the presence of the Practice Manager in Nigeria as a sign of the Bank’s deep commitment to mobilizing resources for climate resilience, water resources, forestry, and environmental sustainability.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Comrade Abdullahi Suleiman Ango, praised ACReSAL as a ‘game-changer’ for the territory, especially in addressing land degradation, population pressures, and declining agricultural productivity. Ango highlighted key interventions such as the provision of machinery and agricultural inputs to farmers, solar-powered boreholes and lighting, and the Community Revolving Fund as vital measures lifting families out of poverty and stimulating growth.
In welcoming the delegation to Kwali, the Project Coordinator of FCT ACReSAL, Mrs. Caroline Opara, noted that the area had become ‘the heart of ACReSAL intervention programmes.’ She emphasized that many successes witnessed in Kwali were due to the personal involvement and leadership of His Royal Highness, which catalyzed community ownership and participation.
The Etsu of Kwali commended the World Bank for investing in a ‘noble venture with good results,’ and pledged the community’s commitment to sustaining the project beyond its current life cycle. He emphasized the importance of community ownership in ensuring the project’s sustainability and welcomed future reviews to assess its continued success.
The ACReSAL project, backed by the World Bank, is being implemented across 19 northern states and the FCT to address environmental degradation, promote climate resilience, and improve livelihoods in semi-arid regions of Nigeria.