To reduce pressure on the forest, the Edo State Government has commissioned industrial cassava processing equipment at Udo Community, in Ovia South West Local Government Area of the State.
The livelihood-support equipment provided to the community is with the assistance of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility of the World Bank and the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Program of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
In his speech, Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Engr. Jonathan Lawani, expressed his appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Environment for selecting Edo State as one of the REDD+ States.
Lawani, who described the support equipment as a milestone in Edo State REDD+ Program, said it is a significant campaign on forest conservation, sustainability and management.
He noted that the project will no doubt create jobs for youths in the community which will help reduce the pressure on the neighborhood forest reserves and address the challenges of deforestation and degradation of the forest in the State.
The Commissioner further said that the State government has put measures in place to ensure that the forest is protected and conserved for posterity.
Lawani identified such measures as employment and training of forest guards, encouraging Private Public Partnership (PPP) in forest regeneration by contributing degraded parts of the forest and seedlings to NGOs amongst others.
National Coordinator, REDD+, Dr. Moses Ama, who applauded the Udo Community for their commitment towards the project, noted that the project is a model to other States where the same equipment have been installed.
In her address, the Coordinator, Edo State REDD+, Mrs. Titilayo Omoigui, said the aim of REDD+ is to reduce GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions by slowing, halting and reversing forest loss and degradation.
Mrs. Omoigui said the equipment is to serve as an alternative means of livelihood for forest dependent communities like Udo.
The Iyase of Udo, Uzi Patrick Igbinidu J.P., commended REDD+ for the intervention program which is to checkmate the incessant deforestation and degradation of Udo forest reserves.
In the same vein, the livelihood-support equipment was also commissioned at Ugo Community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.
