NGOs train 355 Cross River students on climate change

The Wise Administration of Terrestrial Environment and Resources (WATER), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) funded by the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) through Mainyoito Pastoralist Integrated Development Organization (MPIDO), yesterday trained about 350 students from two secondary schools in Cross River state on climate change.

The training tagged Outreach Program, came out of necessity, as children would be most directly affected if the forests are not protected.

Speaking at the training in Agoi Ibami and Agoi Ekpo communities, Programme Coordinator of WATER, Edwin Ogar said climate change is caused by deforestation, forest degradation and over-population and has led to loss of biodiversity, low farm productivity, food insecurity, water shortages and poverty.

Ogar explained that the size of the remaining forests in the world is almost depleted and cannot absorb the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.

He therefore urged the students to conserve the remaining forests, use the forests sustainably, plant new trees and do intensive farming inside existing plots rather than cutting down the forests for farming.