Agency, firms partner on new technology to reform planting

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

He added that the novelty is an ecological water-saving technology that has proven its effectiveness in enhancing tree survival, increasing growth and reducing amount of water being used to plant millions of trees in 55 nations across the globe.

Bukar declared: “We are keying into the advanced technology on irrigation method. Talks between the firms and us began in May 2022, culminating in the MoU, with Boplas Industries Limited becoming the official licensed producer of the waterboxx in Nigeria.  
 
On his part, Wout Hoff of Groasis B.V said the tripartite agreement would accelerate Nigeria’s tree planting campaign in the Great Green Wall Belt and boost economic activities.

He observed that the pact would also lead to creation of thousands of new jobs and reposition NAGGW to achieve its mandate of transforming the zone into an economic hub.
 
According to him, the waterboxx technology will serve as an advanced irrigation method to enhance survival rate of seedlings and trees in Sahel and Sahara dry land areas by 90 per cent, accelerate and provide more sustainable agriculture in tree planting campaigns by reducing carbon footprints released into the environment.
 
Hoff stressed that the production of the waterboxx would be done in one of the agency’s 11 frontline states and serve as transfer of innovative solutions to other African countries. He said it has potential to expand to other Pan-African nations of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW).
 
“Adoption of the waterboxx 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,” Hoff added.