The Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Abbas Lawal has charged the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to urgently develop comprehensive sustainability plans for the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, warning that gains recorded under the World Bank-supported initiative must not be lost after its scheduled conclusion in March 2028.

The minister gave the directive in Jalingo, Taraba state, at the weekend during the flag-off of climate-smart agriculture initiatives, clean energy distribution, waste management interventions, and the rollout of agricultural equipment to benefiting councils across Taraba State.

Lawal stressed that sustainability planning must begin immediately, noting that ACReSAL—designed to combat deforestation, desertification, poor waste management, and water resource degradation—is billed to wind down on March 31, 2028.

“ACReSAL is billed to wind out March 31, 2028, and benefiting states must find ways to sustain this project to ensure the benefits and gains recorded continue to yield results,” the minister said. “We must also work to make the local people own this project, which should be an integral part of the sustainability plan.”

He called for strong local ownership structures and institutionalized maintenance frameworks to ensure that agricultural inputs and essential infrastructure provided under the project continue to serve communities for decades.

Lawal commended Taraba for emerging as one of the five best-performing states under the ACReSAL programme, citing its proactive engagement and efficient execution of projects. He also announced the launch of a national Rosewood restoration plan to be piloted in Taraba, Cross River State, and Benue State as part of broader ecological recovery efforts.

Responding, Agbu Kefas said his administration had established the Taraba Agro-Climatic and Watershed Management Agency as a key component of the state’s sustainability framework for ACReSAL.

According to the governor, the agency will institutionalize the project’s blueprint, ensuring continuity beyond donor funding and embedding its structures within the state’s governance framework. He also disclosed plans to constitute a Rosewood Restoration Taskforce to collaborate with the Federal Government on forest recovery efforts across the state.

The ACReSAL State Project Coordinator, Dr. Yakubu Giwa, described the project’s achievements as far-reaching, noting that its impact spans all 16 local government areas of Taraba. He attributed the seamless execution of initiatives to sustained support from the state government, which he said created an enabling environment for implementation.

As part of the ceremony, the minister flagged off the distribution of over 100 power tillers to Community Interest Groups, 20 tractors—one for each local government area—1,500 clean cookstoves, and solar-powered water pumps.

He also commissioned renovated government buildings and handed over brand-new Hilux vehicles to the state Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, and Water Resources, as well as the Taraba Environmental Protection Agency (TEPA), underscoring the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening institutional capacity for environmental management and climate resilience.