The Federal Government’s Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) initiative and the Kwara State government have begun distributing 14,180 economic tree seedlings among 255 schools, including the state’s tertiary institutions.
This is part of the Federal Government’s Food Systems Transformation Pathways (FSTP) agenda to aid the ecosystem in the state.
Alhaji Aregbe Shamsudeen, the Executive Director of ACReSAL, while commending Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s numerous environmental initiatives and support, pledged the Federal Government’s continued assistance whenever sought.
He hinted that the beneficiaries would receive benefits in the form of cocoa, cashew, oil palm, and orange tree seedlings.
According to him, 80 primary schools, 170 secondary schools, and five tertiary institutions are targeted to benefit from the gesture.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development and Chairman of the State Steering Committee for FSTP, Mrs. Mary Arinde, said the project would have both educational and economic impacts on schools.
“These orchards will not only teach students about crops and their products but also serve as research plantations for tertiary institutions beyond academics, and we give the local governments’ chairmen a chance to pick two schools of their choice to benefit from the initiative,” she said.
She added that the initiative could become a booming source of revenue for schools to invest in other agricultural ventures, such as animal husbandry and fisheries.
Arinde charged supervising Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the Teaching Service Commission, and the Ministry of Tertiary Education to ensure proper monitoring and accountability through follow-up visits.
She commended Governor AbdulRazaq for his commitment to food security and praised the ACRESAL team for the gestures.
The state Director of Planning, Alhaji Kayode Alimi, explained the role of school gardens in promoting agricultural education and serving as a practical learning tool for students.
According to him, the initiative includes the distribution of garden tools to accelerate agricultural education and the provision of seedlings to students, to assist them in establishing their own gardens under regular supervision.
“This effort will not only create an eco-friendly environment but also inspire students to develop a passion for agriculture, food security, and self-empowerment”, he noted.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olalekan Olohungbebe, emphasised the need to preserve trees planted in schools, as they play a crucial role in protecting the learning environment.
He emphasised that the initiative extends beyond aesthetics or mere criticism, noting that it also safeguards investments in educational infrastructure.
Dr. Olohungbebe announced that the Ministry will establish a small committee to monitor the trees in schools, comprising members from the Quality Assurance Bureau (QAB) and School Services, who already conduct regular inspections of schools and their environments.
The event began with a detailed session on the proper care and management of seedlings to ensure healthy growth and sustainability.
