The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Netherlands-based firm, Groasis B.V. and Boplas Industries Limited, to set up the water box production line in Nigeria.

Signing deal in the Netherlands, NAGGW Director General, Dr. Yusuf Maina Bukar, explained that Groasis water box is an innovation adopted to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of planting activities in the 11 frontline states of its operational areas.

Bukar also stated that Invent is an ecological water-saving technology that has proved its effectiveness in enhancing tree survival, increasing growth speed, and reducing the amount of water being used to plant millions of trees in 55 countries around the world.

He declared: “We are keying into the advanced technology on irrigation method for implementation in its our programmes. Talks between us and the firms began in May 2022, culminating into MoU with Nigerian-based, Boplas Industries Limited becoming officially licensed producer of the water box in Nigeria.”

On his part, Mr. Wout Hoff of Groasis B.V said the tripartite agreement between NAGGW, Groasis B.V and Boplas Industries Limited will accelerate Nigeria’s tree planting campaign in the Great Green Wall Belt and boost economic activities.

Hoff said as a result of the pact, thousands of new jobs would be created and the agency’s activities positioned to achieve its mandate of transforming the zone into an economic hub.

According to him, the water box technology will serve as an advanced irrigation method to enhance the survival rate of seedlings and trees in Sahel and Sahara dry land areas by 90 per cent; accelerate and provide more sustainable agriculture in the tree planting campaigns by reducing carbon footprints released in the environment.

Similarly, he stressed that the production of the water box would be done in one out of the 11 frontline states of the agency and serve as transfer of innovative solutions to other African countries. He said it has potential to expand the initiative to other Pan- African countries of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW).

“Adoption of the water box innovation by the management shows the Agency’s seriousness in reforming the process of planting through new innovations, technologies and strategies that will ensure sustainability and competitiveness.

“Nigeria is the first PAGGW member country to adopt the innovation as policy as the country continues to lead the Pan-African Agency for the Great Green Wall and its agenda in Africa,” he added.